On the heels of a near-total abortion ban in Alabama, Republican majority leader Greg Reed celebrated that the new law will save unborn children across the state, which closed seven rural hospitals in the past eight years and 13 hospitals overall.

“My priority is putting the lives of unborn children first,” the senator added after nearly a decade of underfunding Medicaid in Alabama and a majority of poor, uninsured patients leading to the closure of their nearest and most vital hospitals. “It feels good to be able to protect life in this way.”

As rising maternal mortality rates, infant mortality rates and increasing financial inequality threaten the lives of the poorest women and children, many women will be searching for the nearest unsafe location to complete their next unwanted pregnancy.

“I just hope we can make this kind of sweeping change for the entire country,” adds Reed.