Ahead of today’s oral arguments in the Supreme Court on Mississippi’s unconstitutional abortion ban, American Bridge 21st Century Co-Chair and former Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards released the following statement:
“The Mississippi case before SCOTUS should never have been taken, as it is clearly an unconstitutional law that overturns a right women have had for nearly 50 years in America – the right to make their own decisions about pregnancy. This court has already refused to take action in Texas, where an unconstitutional abortion ban has been in effect for nearly three months, preventing millions of people in that state from access to safe and legal abortion.
The impact of the case before this court goes far beyond Mississippi and Texas. If SCOTUS allows Mississippi’s abortion ban to stand, 36 million women in 26 states could lose access to abortion – flying in the face of nearly 50 years of precedent and established reproductive rights. It is blatantly unconstitutional to allow Republican-controlled states to undermine Roe and restrict a woman’s right to an abortion. Regardless, these bans will not end abortion, just safe, legal access to it. The decision about pregnancy is one that should be made by a pregnant person and their medical team – not by Republican politicians in Mississippi, Texas, or anywhere. And make no mistake, if Roe falls, this could happen in states across the country.
In 2022, voters will have the opportunity to vote out those who put their own political interests and dogged determination to end abortion access ahead of families’ well-being. Recent surveys show that abortion access will be a top issue for voters heading to the polls during the midterms. American Bridge and Democrats will be communicating to voters that the Republican Party is on a crusade to take reproductive decisions away, and they are doing so state by state.”
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Published: Dec 1, 2021