WASHINGTON – Based on reporting from POLITICO, the Supreme Court appears likely to strike down Roe v. Wade. When it does, abortion is expected to become illegal in 26 states either because of pre-existing abortion bans on the books or because of Republican-controlled legislatures that are hostile to abortion rights. In 13 states, abortion access will disappear immediately.
In response to the news, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Jessica Post released the following statement:
“This reporting confirms what we already know: Americans will soon be living in a post-Roe world. But because of Republican legislatures, millions of Americans across the country already are. This should be a tough lesson for Democrats all over the country – our policymaking power in Washington is limited and the fight to protect abortion rights will now lie in state legislatures.
“Growing up in Missouri, I saw the GOP shut down clinics left and right as the state flipped from blue to red. Soon, whether you have access to reproductive health care will be decided by the partisan control of your statehouse. While federal action on abortion legislation has stalled, sixteen Democratic-controlled state legislatures and Washington, DC have explicitly protected the right to an abortion. In stark contrast, we’ve seen an onslaught of anti-abortion legislation passed in Republican statehouses.
“State legislatures are Democrats’ best chance to protect abortion rights across the country when the court strikes down Roe. We are prepared for this fight in 2022 and will ensure that Republican legislators are held accountable for their attacks on the right to self-determination and our fundamental freedoms.”
The DLCC has launched the “States to Save Roe” campaign to help Democrats and the DLCC fight back against Republican attacks on abortion rights and to protect Democratic chambers that serve as a firewall for access to reproductive health care and services.
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