Rep. Smith Statement on Supreme Court Ruling Gutting Roe

Statement

Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which breaks from more than 50 years of precedent and strips millions of Americans of their reproductive rights.

"Today's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade means that millions of Americans will be stripped of their right to make deeply personal and medical decisions about their own bodies and futures. In a country built on the principle of freedom, this decision bulldozes over the freedom of millions. As a staunch advocate for reproductive rights and a woman's right to choose, I am enraged, saddened, and fearful.

"The Republican party has been working towards this day for decades, and they won't stop here. Republicans in the House and Senate have made it clear they intend to pass a federal abortion ban if they regain control of Congress, a proposal that the majority of Americans vehemently disagree with. This ban cannot become a reality.

"Central to Roe is the idea that any person should have the right to choose whether to get an abortion and the right to privacy in that decision without undue government interference. The Court's ruling today goes far beyond reproductive rights -- it tramples Americans' right to privacy and puts all personal liberties at risk. The threats against our liberties are not theoretical. Justice Thomas is now calling on the court to reconsider landmark rulings that protect the right to contraception, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage.

"Now is the time for action. The stakes are too high. I was proud to vote for the Women's Health Protection Act last September that would codify into law the right to an abortion for every person regardless of socioeconomic status or zip code. We cannot allow states to pick and choose which Americans get full rights and autonomy to determine their health, well-being and future. The Senate must end the undemocratic filibuster so that Democrats can pass meaningful legislation to codify those rights the Supreme Court would otherwise strip away from us. America will only remain the land of the free if we are brave enough to take a stand."

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