Reps. Slaughter and DeGette Issue Statement on Today's U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on the Federal Abortion Ban
Press Release
Reps. Slaughter and DeGette Issue Statement on Today's U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on the Federal Abortion Ban
Today, Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY) and Chief Deputy Whip Diana DeGette (D-CO) issued the following statement in response to today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling on upholding the first nationwide ban on a specific abortion procedure, effectively restricting abortion rights. Rep. Slaughter and DeGette are Co-Chairs of the bipartisan Pro-Choice Caucus.
"Today the Supreme Court effectively stated that politicians - and not doctors - are the ones who will be deciding what is best for women in regards to their reproductive health," said Congresswoman Slaughter. "They decided to take away an essential option for doctors who seek only to provide the best care to their patients. In doing so, they present women with the option of carrying a dead fetus to term or undergoing an operation that has the potential to leave them infertile. Such action by the Supreme Court to ignore scientific and medical research in place of personal politics is simply reprehensible."
"Today's decision threatens the health of women across the country and is a dangerous step towards restricting the right of choice that women have had for more than 30 years," said Representative DeGette. "With this ruling, the Supreme Court has shown that it will put politics above the health care needs of women. I will continue to fight to ensure that Congress takes every step necessary to protect the privacy, health and well-being of all women."
In the 5-4 vote, the high court rejected two challenges to the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act that President George W. Bush signed into law in 2003 after its approval by the Republican-led U.S. Congress. The decision marked the first time the Supreme Court has upheld a federal law banning a specific abortion procedure since its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973 that women have a basic constitutional right to abortion.
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