Dear Colleague on the Supreme Court Draft Ruling

Statement

Dear Democratic Colleague,

Last Monday, the Nation saw a draft of a Supreme Court decision that sadly would overturn Roe v. Wade, an action which is the culmination of Republicans' decades-long crusade against women's fundamental freedoms.

With this draft ruling striking down the nearly fifty-year-old precedent of Roe v. Wade and undermining the Constitutional right to privacy, Republicans would rip away women's right to make the most intimate and personal decisions. If handed down, this decision by GOP-appointed Justices would mean that, for the first time in our history, America's daughters will have less freedom than their mothers.

Republicans have made clear that their goal will be to seek to criminalize abortion nationwide. Republican state legislators across the country are already advancing extreme new laws, seeking to arrest doctors for offering reproductive care, ban abortion entirely with no exceptions, and even charge women with murder who exercise their right to choose. These draconian measures could even criminalize contraceptive care, in vitro fertilization and post-miscarriage care, dragging our nation back to a dark time decades into the past.

Make no mistake: once Republicans have dispensed with precedent and privacy in overturning Roe, they will take aim at additional basic human rights. At this pivotal moment, the stakes for women -- and every American -- could not be higher.

It is urgent and essential that we remain disciplined and focused in sharing with the American people the dangers of the Republican agenda. While Republicans want to punish and control women for exercising their constitutional rights, Democrats believe that a woman's health decisions are her own -- and we will fight relentlessly to enshrine Roe v. Wade as the law of the land.

Thanks to the devoted leadership of author Congresswoman Judy Chu and House Democrats for passing the Women's Health Protection Act last fall. This week, the Senate will again bring up this vital legislation for a vote. We know we must carry forward this fight in the weeks and months ahead. Our proud pro-choice House Majority must continue this fight in the public arena so that the American people know that their rights are on the ballot this November.

While we have seen and heard extraordinary anguish in our communities, we have been moved by how so many have channeled their righteous anger into meaningful action: planning to march and mobilize to make their voices heard.

Thank you for your powerful commitment to carrying on the fight for the rights of all Americans.

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