Raleigh, NC – Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) released the following statement in advance of the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade:
“Tomorrow will mark 49 years since the Supreme Court passed down its historic ruling in Roe v. Wade,” said Congresswoman Ross. “We mark this historic anniversary at a precarious moment. Perhaps at no time in the past half century has a woman’s fundamental right to choose been in graver danger.
“Last year in Texas, we saw the most restrictive abortion ban in the country go into effect – banning abortions at six weeks and authorizing a disturbing vigilante system to monitor its enforcement. In 2018, we saw the Republican-led Mississippi legislature enact a 15-week abortion ban – a case designed to undo the protections established in Roe v. Wade. This year, the Supreme Court will rule on this law in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case that could determine the fate of women’s access to abortion care around the country for a generation or more. Without the protections of Roe v. Wade, I fear many more states, including North Carolina, will follow the lead of Texas and Mississippi.
“We cannot rely solely on the courts to protect our rights. For 49 years, we have seen state legislatures relentlessly assault women’s fundamental right to choose. For 49 years, we have seen politicians question the ability of women and their families to make sound decisions for their healthcare and their lives. The House has already passed the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation that will safeguard the right to access abortion care free from political interference. The Senate must act. We must find a way to get this critical bill to the President’s desk. We must enshrine women’s reproductive freedom into law.”
Congresswoman Ross voted to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act in September 2021.
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