Rep. Matt Lesser Given CT NARAL's Highest Honor

From the office of Matt Lesser
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State Representative Matthew Lesser (D) has been given NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut’s 2015 Catherine Roraback award for his pro-choice leadership in the state legislature. Rep. Lesser was honored at the organization’s 23rd Annual Catherine Roraback Awards Ceremony.

“I want to thank NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut for honoring me with the 2015 Catherine Roraback award. 50 years ago, the Supreme Court struck down a Connecticut law outlawing contraception and it was Attorney Catherine Roraback who secured that victory for reproductive rights,” said Rep. Lesser.

“It is a shocking and unfortunate fact that in the year 2015, we are still dealing with other states and a Congress that would like to ax funding for women’s healthcare and prevent access to contraception. We must remain vigilant as these fights move to the Supreme Court.”

The Catherine Roraback Awards are given to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated leadership, courage and activism in the struggle to protect privacy rights, the legal right to obtain an abortion, and access to reproductive health for all women.  The awards are given in honor of Catherine Roraback, the civil rights attorney who successfully argued before the US Supreme Court, in Griswold v. Connecticut, that the right of married couples to obtain contraception is protected under the privacy rights established in the Constitution. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Griswold decision.

Throughout his tenure in elected office, Rep. Lesser has been a strong supporter of women’s reproductive rights and freedoms. This year, Rep. Lesser lent his voice to call attention to the work of so-called crisis pregnancy centers, some of which provide inaccurate medical information to pregnant women seeking help.

In addition to his support of reproductive choice, Rep. Lesser has been a strong supporter of paid family and medical leave, believing that parents should be able to stay home with a newborn child without the fear of missing out on a paycheck or getting fired.

"Representative Matt Lesser is a consistent leader on access to reproductive rights.  We are proud to honor him for his commitment to ensure Connecticut women have access to accurate, comprehensive reproductive health care," said Shannon Lane, Board Chair of NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut.