Colorado’s House Republican leader on Wednesday accused Democrats of wasting constituents’ time by pushing a resolution supporting a woman’s access to abortion.

Rep. Patrick Neville of Castle Rock pointed to opening day remarks by House Speaker Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, who three weeks ago said the legislature would focus on issues such as transportation, education and housing development.

“Let’s listen to the people who elected us by focusing on the issues they deal with every day – and working together to provide solutions,” Duran said during her opening day remarks.

But she also said, “We cannot tolerate attacks on women and people of color. We must stand up for those who might otherwise be shoved down or pushed aside.”

The resolution that the House heard on Wednesday, sponsored by Reps. Joe Salazar of Thornton and Leslie Herod of Denver, fell along the lines of protecting choices for women.

It states that, “All qualified health care professionals shall be able to provide the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion, and have access to appropriate medical training.”

But Neville stood in “dismay,” suggesting that Democrats are breaking their promise to Coloradans by advancing symbolic resolutions, rather than working on other critical issues facing the state.

The resolution on Wednesday followed one on Tuesday, in which House Democrats encouraged President Trump to rescind last Friday’s presidential orders, which temporarily suspended immigration to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries and offered a sweeping prohibition of refugees entering the country.

“How is this resolution a productive use of our time?” Neville asked. “If you don’t agree with us and the millions of Coloradans that believe we should protect life, that’s fine. You don’t have to agree with us … But wasting another day to bring a resolution that antagonizes members of this body is not a productive use of our time.

“How will this resolution help us work together? How will imputing our motives, disrespecting our deeply held beliefs, improve bipartisanship and cooperation? It won’t.

“I’m disappointed to see this is how we’re being forced to use the little time we have to seek solutions to Colorado’s problems.”

But Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush, D-Steamboat Springs, said access to safe abortions is not about taking a life, it’s about saving a life, which is an important topic for the legislature to discuss, especially as Republicans propose legislation to prohibit abortions.

“Women died,” she said of women who attempted abortions before it was legal. “Women were seriously injured. Some women who wanted to have children, but for whatever reason did not see it as in that particular relationship, or that particular time of their life, they were injured and they died.

“If abortion is deemed illegal again, women will not have life, liberty and the ability to pursue happiness.”