Courtney Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade:

"The decision released by the Supreme Court today overturning 50 years of settled law protecting the reproductive health decisions of women and families in the U.S. is a stunning step backwards for the privacy rights of all Americans," said Congressman Courtney. "This isn't just about reproductive choice—according to the reasoning of the Supreme Court's majority opinion and concurring opinion by Justice Thomas, privacy rulings in the Griswold and Obergefell cases protecting access to contraceptives and marriage are at risk. That is why huge majorities of Americans in public opinion polls opposed overturning Roe. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor—a Reagan appointee—warned decades ago that a decision like this would come with a ‘bitter price' for our country, and she was right. We're fortunate that in Connecticut, our state has voted to enact laws that protect women and families' right to make their own health and reproductive decisions, but today's ruling opens the door to a further federal intrusion to state protections. In the Senate, Minority Leader McConnell has already signaled that legislative action could be on the table to supersede voters in states like Connecticut, and to end reproductive rights nationwide. In the House, last September I joined the majority when we passed the Women's Health Protection Act that codifies Roe v. Wade. Protecting privacy rights is what the American people want, and I will continue to work on measures such these to reverse the Supreme Court's relentless efforts to turn the clock back in this country."

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