Washington, D.C. In a decision by its conservative majority to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court has terminated constitutional safeguards for abortion that had been in place for over 50 years. The results of Friday are anticipated to result in abortion restrictions in around half of the states.
The ruling, which was unfathomable only a few years ago, was the result of decades of work by abortion opponents and was made feasible by the court’s right flank, which has grown more assertive thanks to the addition of three Trump nominees.
On May 14, 2022, a rally in support of abortion rights will take place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
More than a month had passed since the shocking disclosure of a draught opinion by Justice Samuel Alito, which showed the court was ready to make this historic decision.
It puts the court at odds with the vast majority of Americans who, according to polls, favoured upholding Roe.
In his final conclusion, Alito argued that the 1992 rulings Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which upheld the right to an abortion, were incorrect when they were made and must be reversed.
“In our opinion, Roe and Casey must be rejected. Abortion is not mentioned in the Constitution, and no fundamental clause implicitly protects this freedom, according to Alito.
According to Alito, the political branches, not the courts, have the power to control abortion.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett joined Alito on the bench. Trump-appointed the final three justices. Thomas cast the first anti-Roe vote thirty years ago.
The Mississippi legislation at the centre of the case, which forbids abortion after 15 weeks, would have been maintained by Chief Justice John Roberts, who would have refrained from outright banning the practice.
The court’s dwindling liberal majority, represented by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan, dissented.
They stated in their letter, “We dissent with sorrow—for this Court, but more so for the countless millions of American women who have today lost a basic constitutional safeguard.
According to figures examined by The Associated Press, the decision is anticipated to have a disproportionately negative impact on minority women who already have limited access to healthcare.
If Roe is repealed, there are currently laws against abortion in place in thirteen states, mostly in the South and Midwest. After six weeks of pregnancy, when many women are unaware that they are pregnant, other half-dozen states have near-total bans or prohibitions.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organisation that promotes abortion rights, the debate will be over dormant abortion laws that were passed before Roe was ruled in 1973 or fresh measures to significantly limit when abortions can be performed.
Illinois and Iowa’s Responses
Following today’s decision in the Dobbs case, Iowa Governor Reynolds issued the following statement:
The Supreme Court has at its best when it enables America to more fully embrace the timeless principle upon which it was built: the idea that all people, without exception, are created equal.
By that standard, today’s historic ruling is unquestionably one of these instances. But the struggle for survival is still ongoing. As governor, I won’t stop working until every Iowan child is protected and valued.
In response to the leaked draught of the Supreme Court’s opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, two women hold signs during news conferences for reproductive rights in West Hollywood, California, on March 3, 2022, and one woman holds a sign during a protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on May 5, 2022.
Following the announcement from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Ross Wilburn and Iowa Democratic Party First Vice Chair June Owens issued the following statement:
As we deal with the effects of a 50-year vendetta against the freedoms guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, it is a gloomy day for freedom in our country.
“Iowa Democrats will keep fighting for every Iowan’s freedom to choose if, when, and with whom to start a family. And this choice has only heightened our resolve to witness the restoration of these individual liberties.
Most Americans and Iowans agree that abortion should be legal. Republicans in the Senate have consistently blocked Democratic attempts by the U.S. House to enshrine the Roe protections into law.
To safeguard abortion rights, we must elect Iowa Democrats to positions of power at all levels of government. Republicans in Iowa, including Kim Reynolds, will use every effort to make abortion illegal in our state.
“This fight is not done, and I’m happy to stand with Iowans organising for a future where our individual liberties are safeguarded,” said the speaker.
Organization, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement today. Durbin also revealed that a hearing on a post-Roe America will be held by the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 12.
“Today’s ruling nullifies a long-standing constitutional right that has received federal protection. Millions of Americans are now awakening in a nation where they have fewer rights than their parents and grandparents.
On Thursday, June 23, 2022, in Washington, a pro-choice activist stands in front of the US Supreme Court.
“The bottom line: Do you trust her or the government when it comes to important, private issues affecting a woman’s ability to make reproductive decisions about her own body?
According to the Supreme Court, a woman’s right to privacy does not include the most intimate decision she will ever make.
“A hearing on the sombre realities of a post-Roe America will be held by the Senate Judiciary Committee the following month.
In states anxious to adopt harsh restrictions, the Court’s decision to eliminate the right to access abortion may not only result in the denial of essential medical treatments but also in criminal repercussions for women and medical professionals.
I’ll keep working for the legal recognition of a woman’s autonomy over her reproductive system. We cannot allow our children to inherit a country that is less safe and free than the one in which they grew up.
Friday morning, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released the following statement:
As the late Justice Ginsburg noted, “Today’s decision recognised that the inadequate legal rationale in Roe v. Wade has done more to exacerbate disagreement than to resolve it.
The court disregarded a problematic precedent in a thorough and well-reasoned conclusion, as it has rightly done in important rulings throughout history.
The rights of the unborn are no longer in danger from our federal government, according to many Americans, including Grassley. “This decision is about far more than correcting a flawed legal analysis in Roe,” Grassley said.
“Our country was built on the fundamental tenet that our creator has provided us with an inalienable right to life, a right that must be safeguarded.
“This decision does not outright forbid the practice of abortion; rather, it gives the people the power to enact sensible public policy through their elected representatives who are held accountable.
It removes the power of determining policy from unelected judges, he claimed. “Regardless of your opinions on this or any other matter, we should all appreciate the work of an independent court and the judgments that it makes.
“We are fortunate to live in a nation where the people have a major say in how we are run. As so many pro-life Americans have done over the past 50 years, the public may campaign for policy priorities in the streets, in Congress, and at the polls, Grassley added.
The solution is not to try to insult, harass, or discredit the court because of a decision you disagree with.
most abortions occur in the first 13 weeks.
According to data provided by Guttmacher, more than 90% of abortions occur in the first 13 weeks of pregnancy, and more than half are now performed without surgery using tablets.
The choice was made in light of public opinion polls showing that the majority of Americans reject repealing Roe and leaving the option to allow abortion totally up to the states. About 1 in 10 Americans, according to surveys by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and others, want abortion to be prohibited in all circumstances.
Most people support abortion being allowed in all or most situations, according to polls, although many also support limitations, particularly later in pregnancy.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker declared, “In the face of a heartbreaking judgement that puts millions of women at risk across the nation, Illinois remains unshakable in our support for women’s bodily autonomy and their most fundamental freedoms.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives a speech at Chicago State University in this file photo from February 22, 2021. (AP, File) Ashlee Rezin Garcia of the Chicago Sun-Times
He declared, “As long as I’m governor, Illinois will be an island for reproductive rights for every American who has been deserted by a Supreme Court loyal to the extreme Republican party.”
The last line of defence for reproductive freedom now is provided by pro-choice Democratic governors, and we are prepared to battle tenaciously for women’s rights, just as generations before us did.
In Illinois, women are trusted. The right to safe, accessible reproductive health care is in full force in Illinois – and will stay so, Pritzker declared on Friday, despite the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse Roe v. Wade.
In Illinois, we have prepared for this horrible day, which will mark a severe setback and a devastating loss of rights. We established choice as the rule of law in Illinois when we approved the Reproductive Health Act, he added.
“With the Roe v. Wade decision being overturned, we eliminated the trigger law that would have barred abortion in Illinois. We improved healthcare so that access to reproductive care is not restricted by a person’s ability to pay.
The state of Illinois is dedicated to increasing access to reproductive health care, including care for abortion, access to contraception, fertility therapy, and care for gender-affirming issues. We’ve made it plain that we believe people are capable of making the greatest choices for their own reproductive health.
According to Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, “the day has finally come—far-right extremists on the U.S. Supreme Court have accomplished their decades-long aim of overturning Roe v. Wade, setting back the fight for reproductive justice and putting millions of women in danger.”
“Even though Illinois is still the nation’s most pro-choice state, everything can change in a single election. To maintain the gains we’ve made for our citizens and support the women who will come to Illinois for access to safe, legal abortions, Illinoisans in every part of the state must get out and vote for pro-choice Democratic leaders at every level of government.
Making this choice “will damage millions”
According to Sarah Stoesz, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States, “the U.S. Supreme Court judgement is incorrect and will affect millions of individuals.”
“This ruling is an outrageous curtailment of everyone’s fundamental rights in the United States.
It now depends on where you reside and how much money you need to fly out of state for abortion care because people’s right to access abortion is no longer guaranteed by federal law. A serious violation of human rights and dignity is forced pregnancy.
On May 31, 2019, in St. Louis, Missouri, the outside of a Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center is visible.
“We have been putting in months of preparation so that we can best serve patients in our region. Planned Parenthood is committed to offering abortion care in states where it is still permitted, and our doors are always open.
We have a tonne of work to do, said Stoesz. “Our democracy is in danger as a result of the unprecedented erosion of our right to bodily autonomy that is taking place right now. Everyone who supports abortion rights ought to take action right away.
The statement following the court decision was made by Progress Iowa’s executive director, Matt Sinovic:
Everyone should have access to the healthcare they require, including abortion, regardless of their financial situation or place of residence. The majority of Americans and Iowans are in favour of safe and legal abortion access.
“Today’s court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade deprives pregnant women of their fundamental rights and puts their lives in danger. People who already experience discriminatory barriers to health care will be most affected by this decision, including people of colour, those with disabilities, those living in rural areas, young people, those who are undocumented, and those who are struggling to make ends meet.
“People in the United States still require abortion care, but the Supreme Court’s ruling will inspire anti-abortion lawmakers to seek for the complete statewide ban on abortion that they have long sought. Our right to privacy will suffer unexpectedly negative effects as a result of this decision.
Just to be clear. The practice of abortion has existed and will continue to exist, according to Sinovic. There can be no denying how important healthcare is.
It can’t only be a thing of the night. To ensure that abortion is risk-free, legal, and available to everyone, we are urging our policymakers to codify Roe v. Wade into law.
“Horrified and outraged”
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) issued the following statement regarding the choice:
“This verdict is a nightmare that robs women of their right to make their own decisions about their healthcare and bodies, and it prepares the way for a statewide abortion ban that Republicans have been pushing for decades.
I am enraged and disgusted by it. 70 per cent of Americans believe Roe v. Wade should remain the supreme law of the country, and millions of American families, including my own, have relied on it for almost 50 years.
As Justice Sotomayor put it, the Supreme Court of the United States and the Justices who initially asserted Roe was “established law” before ruling otherwise will “battle to withstand the odour” of this severe decision.
On October 14, 2021, at the South Court Auditorium of the White House complex in Washington, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., attends a discussion of healthcare policies with Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Forcing births on anyone—even when the mother’s life could be in danger—is not only cruel, it will also be lethal in a country with a growing maternal mortality crisis and frequently inaccessible healthcare, without cheap child care or universal paid leave,” she said.
Doctors who practise in jurisdictions where it is illegal to provide abortions or even manage miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies risk going to jail for trying to save a patient’s life. Rape victims can have to go through their anguish every day.
“I won’t allow my girls to live in a society where they have fewer rights than I did. I will do everything in my power to make sure that Illinois continues to be a safe haven for all women seeking reproductive care, even as Republicans go forward with their campaign to outlaw abortion nationwide, said Duckworth.
It is more crucial than ever that the Senate takes action to enshrine Roe v. Wade into law so that every American, regardless of their skin colour, zip code, or poverty, has access to basic, required healthcare.
Protecting and enhancing access to crucial women’s healthcare is a primary issue for Duckworth.
After the Supreme Court’s draught judgement was leaked and it became clear that a small number of far-right Justices could overturn Roe v. Wade in the following weeks, she spoke up on the Senate floor in support of Americans’ reproductive rights and released a statement.
She co-sponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), which codified Roe in law, last year and was horrified when Republicans stopped it earlier this year. The Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Healthcare (EACH) Act, which would repeal the Hyde Amendment and remove unfair restrictions on abortion coverage for those who rely on Medicaid and other government-sponsored plans, is another bill that Duckworth is the primary sponsor of.
the Catholic Diocese’s response
Bishop Louis Tylka’s statement was released by the Catholic Diocese of Peoria and reads as follows:
The Roe v. Wade decision, which legalised abortion nearly 50 years ago, will be significantly impacted by this decision.
With today’s ruling, the federal authorization of abortion has been overturned, leaving it up to the individual states to make their own decisions. Much more work has to be done.
“God gave us life as a gift. The Church has made it very plain that all human life, from conception to natural death, is sacred.
To truly create a culture of life in both our nation and the rest of the globe, we as Catholics and Americans must continue to be a voice that defends life – at all stages and from all dangers.
“As the Bishop of Peoria, I urge all people of goodwill to support efforts that uphold the dignity of human life, particularly those that provide families and women who become pregnant unexpectedly with financial, emotional, and spiritual support, as well as efforts to provide ongoing support and care for kids.
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“The decision made today is not the final word on this issue. However, it is an important turning point in the quest for a greater appreciation of life, and it is an occasion to praise God. May the Holy Spirit develop in each of us a deeper reverence for the sanctity of every human life, particularly that of unborn infants.
