The Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to an abortion

What they say about it:

2022, Friday, June 24 – The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that recognized women’s constitutional right to abortion.  The vote was 5-4 to overturn Roe, with conservative Chief Justice John Roberts writing separately to say he would have upheld the Mississippi law without taking the additional step of erasing the Roe precedent altogether.

Ding Ding TV collected 19 American Political and Community leaders’ Reactions and Statements regarding this issue:  

AAPI Victory Fund Condemns Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade, Urges Congress to Enact Federal Protections to Abortion Care

WASHINGTON — Today, the United States Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, a decision that goes against decades of precedent, and one that will restrict the right to access abortion care nationwide. Access to life-saving reproductive health care is now at the mercy of state legislatures, nearly 22 of which have made clear their intent to dismantle any and all access to abortion statewide. AAPI Victory Fund is dedicated to supporting elected officials who will codify Roe.

Co-founder Bel-Leong Hong issued the following statement:

“I’ve experienced many “firsts” throughout my lifetime but this “first,” the outright destruction of life-saving federal protections to women’s reproductive health care, is by far the worst. For all women and people able to become pregnant, the Supreme Court decision is an outrage. This decision, which goes against years of precedent to appease an extreme majority in the Supreme Court, will have devastating consequences for people and families across the United States.”

“We at AAPI Victory Fund will continue to fight for a women’s right to choose, and will not wait idly by while the Court strips this fundamental, human right from millions. Congress needs to act now; federal protections to reproductive health care are now more necessary than ever.”

AAPI Victory Fund Member Loida Lewis issued the following statement:

“The Supreme Court’s decision is a tragedy for millions in our country. Today, I think about my family, especially my two daughters and three granddaughters, with whom I was proud to call the United States home, and proud to have worked towards building an equitable, just and inclusive society. This post-Roe world is nothing I would have hoped for their future.”

“Today is just the beginning of a long fight. We will not allow a conservative-majority Supreme Court to gut life-saving protections. It’s time for Congress to step up and right this wrong.”

AAPI Victory Fund Member Katie Nguyen Kalvoda issued the following statement:

“With utter despair and disbelief, we witnessed the Supreme Court strip us of our inalienable rights. While rumblings of today’s decision have been mounting for years, the shock of knowing that millions of lives are now at stake is nearly unfathomable.”

“As we navigate the aftershock of the Court’s devastating decision, we at AAPI Victory Fund pledge to double down on our efforts to elect candidates who value the right to choose. A woman’s right to bodily autonomy is not negotiable.”

AAPI Victory Fund Member Arshi Siddiqui issued the following statement

“Today’s ruling represents an unfortunate chapter in the fight for affordable, accessible, and equitable health care. It also reinforces the need for strong voter turnout in the upcoming midterm elections, making our work at the AAPI Victory Fund more critical than ever.”

From President Joe Biden:

It’s a sad day for the court and for the country. Fifty years ago, Roe v. Wade was decided, and it has been the law of the land since then. This landmark case had protected women’s right to choose. It reaffirmed basic principles of equality. And it reinforced a fundamental right of privacy, the right of each of us to choose how to live our lives. Now, with Roe gone, the health and lives of women in this nation are at risk.

This decision must not be the final word. We will use all appropriate, lawful powers, but Congress must act. With your vote, you can act. You can have the final word. This is not over.

Joseph R. Biden Jr.
President of the United States

County of Santa Clara Statement on the US Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF.— The County of Santa Clara administration and elected officials expressed dismay and disappointment on Friday after news of the United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Below are reactions from key leaders at the County:

Supervisor Mike Wasserman, President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors:
“I’m very disappointed in today’s ruling. I believe the Court has overreached in its decision to limit women’s reproductive freedom and restrict privacy rights.”

Supervisor Susan Ellenberg, Vice President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors:
“For those who engage in the cynical punting of the fundamental right to bodily autonomy by saying it is up to states to decide, I have a message: We have decided. We have decided to reject the misogyny, the anger, the misinformation, and fear-mongering that has been plotting for the end of Roe for decades. We have decided to provide necessary reproductive healthcare to anyone who requests it.”

Supervisor Cindy Chavez, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors:

“California will become a sanctuary in a post-Roe world but we must not become an island. We can no longer allow our status as a state — where abortion rights are secure — to become an excuse to ignore what is going on elsewhere in our country. We have to use our voices, our time, and our wallets to support candidates for office who support the rights of women, including our right to control our own bodies. We must support causes that protect the civil rights of our entire community.”

Supervisor Otto Lee, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors:
“I am deeply saddened by the Supreme Court taking a monumental step backwards to reverse half a century of law that provides safe access to reproductive services nationally. As a husband and a father of three daughters, this fundamental right is essential to protecting the health of women and girls everywhere. Sadly, this ruling will disproportionately harm the poor and people of color who do not have access to healthcare, victims of rape and incest, and even possibly endanger the life of a mother. Though California will continue to protect reproductive freedom, for now, I’m deeply concerned that this is the first step to a federal abortion ban in every state. I am committed to fighting for reproductive justice in Santa Clara County and beyond.”

Supervisor Joe Simitian, Chair of the County’s Health and Hospital Committee:
“This is bad law. It’s bad policy. And our County is ready to use all of the tools at its disposal to push back.”

Jeffrey V. Smith, M.D., J.D., County Executive:
“The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade is deeply disappointing. Access to comprehensive healthcare, including abortion and other reproductive healthcare, is a cornerstone of public health. This change will not only negatively impact safety but will also increase health inequities.”

James R. Williams, County Counsel:
“Abortion is legal in the State of California, and we will fight any effort to deny anyone the right to access abortion care in our community. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn long-established precedent is, as the Chief Justice acknowledged in his concurrence, a stark and improper departure from the Court’s respect for its own prior decisions and undermines confidence in the rule of law. We will pursue every avenue available to ensure everyone in our community has access to comprehensive reproductive care.”

Dr. Sara Cody, Health Officer and Director of Public Health:
“As federal funding becomes less available for abortion and related services, the lowest income pregnant people will be most affected. The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department is profoundly concerned for the health and wellbeing of pregnant people, children and families, so we continue to work towards healthy equity, which can only be achieved with access to comprehensive healthcare.”

Paul Lorenz, CEO, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Hospitals and Clinics:
“As the safety net healthcare provider for our region, the County of Santa Clara Health System will continue to provide access to abortion and all other comprehensive reproductive care for our patients. When access to these services is limited or denied elsewhere in the country, we expect to see people traveling to our community to access the care they need. The County and our taxpayers will face the costs of other states denying people access to basic healthcare. Regardless, the County will continue to help any person seeking reproductive services because abortion is a human right, and nobody should be fearful to access the care they need.”

From California Governor Gavin Newsom:

This morning’s Supreme Court decision is an outrageous attack on the rights of women across this country. It will destroy lives, and it will put countless women in danger.

But it is important — as your governor — I make it clear that in California we are going to protect a woman’s right to access an abortion no matter what the Supreme Court rules.

This November, Californians will vote to enshrine that right into our state constitution. Because if we cannot trust the Supreme Court to protect the right to an abortion, we will do it ourselves.

Women WILL remain protected here.

We WILL get this passed.

I will unquestionably have more on this soon, but we are not going to roll over in California. We have been preparing for this moment.

From Mayor of San Francisco London Breed:

The decision by the Supreme Court to take away the constitutional right to abortion is devastating to women and our country. San Francisco has proudly served for generations as a place that respects fundamental civil rights, including a woman’s right to choose. The ramifications from this Supreme Court ruling on public health, poverty, and so many downstream consequences have yet to be seen, but right now, women are scared about what this means for them, for their daughters, and for all of us.

In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, I have announced initial steps being taken to prepare for impacts locally and to ensure that San Francisco continues to stand as a place that proudly protects and supports a woman’s right to choose.

With input from leading abortion rights advocacy organizations, the San Francisco Department of the Status of Women (DOSW) has identified next steps San Francisco will take to both prepare for any influx of people traveling from out-of-state as well as minimize the harm from this ruling.

DOSW has begun initiating a Bay Area coordinating table of providers, advocacy organizations and local government agencies to better understand the services available throughout the region and what may be needed, as well as to prepare for any state-level interventions that may come.

DOSW has begun measuring local capacity of abortion care services to understand what services are available to women in San Francisco, and what impacts may be as a result of this ruling.

DOSW is distributing $250,000 in emergency grants for local organizations for immediate capacity building and wraparound service support so that women can continue to receive the care and support they need as service demand potentially increases.

San Francisco cannot correct national policy, but we can ensure that those in this city are safe from anyone who wants to criminalize medical care and that we are working with the entire Bay Area to prepare for any impacts of this decision.

From Oakland Councilmember Sheng Thao:

My heart is broken by the news that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. We have known this day would most likely come, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

Today hurts. I’m sad, I’m angry, and I hope like you are, I’m ready to fight back. Here is some more hopeful news that will prepare us for that fight:

Now that Roe is gone, the demand for abortion access will not change—making cities like ours a destination for individuals seeking care that has been made illegal in their own states. Thanks to the Council passing my emergency legislation, Oakland is now a sanctuary city for abortion access, meaning our city is committed to protecting the health and privacy of those who live in Oakland and across the Bay Area, as well as pregnant people from states run by repressive Republican governments. Regardless of the Supreme Court decision, our clinics will remain open and safe, and no one will be bullied here by anti-choice extremists.

I am currently working with the City Attorney’s office to strengthen Oakland’s bubble ordinance which provides protection for those attempting to access family planning clinics like Planned Parenthood. In the recent past, Oakland has been a target of anti-abortion extremists who harassed and intimidated those seeking abortions, or other healthcare services, at these clinics. In the wake of today’s decision the possibility for this type of harassment has increased. This will not be tolerated.

The state of California will soon follow in becoming a sanctuary state for abortion access.

Though the Supreme Court and the GOP are controlled by an extreme, anti-choice, anti-woman, anti-family, and anti-freedom minority, an overwhelming majority of Americans support the right to choose. It’s over 70 percent in many polls. America simply does not support this decision.

Pro-choice organizations are stepping up to fight back and continue to protect a woman’s right to choose. If you need access to reproductive care in the Bay Area, please visit Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. You can also donate to them to support their work or to other groups like Access to Reproductive Justice and the National Network of Abortion Funds.

Strong pro-choice Democrats are running for office up and down the ballot this November and pro-choice voters are going to be energized. It’s never been more critical to elect leaders ​​with an unwavering commitment to protecting this essential right.

In the coming days, in my role as Council President Pro Tem, I’ll be exploring ways we can build on our sanctuary city law to strengthen abortion rights access further. I will update you on that very soon. And please know this: As Mayor, I’ll do everything in my power to protect and expand access to reproductive health care access in our city, region, state, and nation.

Though this is one of the saddest days in our nation’s history, I have never been more proud to be a pro-choice Oaklander, Bay Area resident, and Californian. Please check out this video put together by Planned Parenthood Mar Monte where I and other pro-choice Bay Area reproductive justice leaders speak out about the fight ahead, and please, if you can, support Planned Parenthood financially.

Cities like Oakland, and states like California, are now our last line of defense in this fight for freedom, choice, and bodily autonomy—what is really one of the most critical fights of our time.

It’s an honor to stand with you in that fight.

From – Rev. Raphael Warnock

Let me be clear: I’m a pro-choice pastor, so I’ll never stop fighting to codify Roe v. Wade into law and protect the right to choose. But if we lose this seat and our Democratic majority, Herschel Walker could be the deciding vote in favor of a nationwide abortion ban in a Mitch McConnell-controlled Senate.

Thank you.

– Rev. Raphael Warnock