This post was curated from The White House (Whitehouse.gov)
The Supreme Court of the United States has made the decisions to uphold the Texas abortion law (SB 8).
What does this mean?
- The Supreme Court left in place a Texas abortion law that bars the procedure after around six weeks of pregnancy, but the justices said abortion providers had the right to challenge the law in federal court.
- The court’s action means that the case will return to a district court for further proceedings, but it may still be difficult for providers to open their doors again.
- It is the most restrictive abortion law in the country and is in stark contrast to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision legalizing abortion nationwide prior to viability, which can occur at around 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Source: CNN
Statement by President Joe Biden
I am very concerned by the Supreme Court’s decision to allow SB8 to remain in effect in light of the significant consequences that law has for women in Texas and around the country, and for the rule of law. As I have made clear from Day One, I am deeply committed to the constitutional right recognized in Roe v. Wade nearly five decades ago.
While it is encouraging that the Court ruled that part of the providers’ lawsuit may continue, this ruling reinforces that there is so much more work to be done—in Texas, in Mississippi, and in many states around the country where women’s rights are currently under attack. I will continue to work with Congress to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act. We have more work to do, but I will always stand with women to protect and defend their long-recognized, constitutional right under Roe v. Wade.
Statement by Vice President Kamala Harris
In the United States of America, the right of women to make decisions about their own bodies is non-negotiable. For nearly 50 years, this right has been protected. Yesterday’s Supreme Court decision allows SB8, which threatens women’s health and rights, to remain in effect. The ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy remains. The cash incentives for vigilantes remains. And the harm to women remains.
We must protect the constitutional right recognized under Roe v. Wade by codifying it into law. We must pass the Women’s Health Protection Act. And we must continue to do everything in our power to defend women’s reproductive rights.
