The United States Supreme Court on Friday ended the right to abortion in a seismic ruling. The conservative-dominated court overturned the landmark 1973 “Roe v Wade” decision that enshrined a woman’s right to an abortion, saying that individual states can now permit or restrict the procedure themselves, as reported by AFP.
“The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives,” the court said.
US President Joe Biden will address the nation Friday at 12:30 pm (1630 GMT) after the Supreme Court ended the right to abortion in a ruling on one of America’s most bitterly fought issues.
The White House said Biden, who has vowed to fight to protect access to abortion, would deliver remarks on the ruling, which triggered outrage from his Democratic Party colleagues.
President Biden will deliver remarks at 12:30 PM ET on the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to overturn Roe v. Wade.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 24, 2022
Former US President Barack Obama slammed the decision by the Supreme Court to throw out the right to abortion in the United States by calling it an attack on “essential freedoms.”
“Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues — attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans,” the Democrat tweeted.
Across the country, states have already passed bills restricting choice. If you’re looking for ways to respond, @PPFA, @USOWomen, and many other groups have been sounding the alarm on this issue for years—and will continue to be on the front lines of this fight. pic.twitter.com/PpXBEcbL2S
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 24, 2022
Former US vice president Mike Pence on Friday said the right to abortion had been “consigned to the ash heap of history” as he hailed a Supreme Court ruling that ended 50 years of constitutional protections.
“By returning the question of abortion to the states and the people, this Supreme Court has righted a historic wrong, and reaffirmed the right of the American people to govern themselves,” said Pence, a Republican potential presidential candidate and leading anti-abortion campaigner.
Now that Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history, a new arena in the cause of life has emerged and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn…
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) June 24, 2022
The leading abortion provider in the United States, Planned Parenthood, vowed Friday it would “never stop fighting” for those in need, after the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to the procedure.
“We know you may be feeling a lot of things right now — hurt, anger, confusion. Whatever you feel is OK. We’re here with you — and we’ll never stop fighting for you,” the organization tweeted.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court just overturned Roe v. Wade, ending our constitutional right to abortion. We know you may be feeling a lot of things right now — hurt, anger, confusion. Whatever you feel is OK. We’re here with you — and we’ll never stop fighting for you.
— Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) June 24, 2022
As reported by AP, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said he was acting immediately to enforce a state law banning abortion except in “cases of medical emergency.”
He tweeted, “Following the SCOTUS ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Missouri has just become the first in the country to effectively end abortion with our AG opinion signed moments ago. This is a monumental day for the sanctity of life.”
THREAD: Today is a historic day, but we also remember over 60 million innocent lives lost. There was a lot of work behind the scenes before we achieved this incredible victory. Here are some of our efforts to protect all, including the unborn. pic.twitter.com/rI8GTLgr5r
— Attorney General Eric Schmitt (@AGEricSchmitt) June 24, 2022
A women’s organisation called the United State of Women tweeted, “Abortion is a human right and politicians should never intervene with our decisions about our bodies. We join those across the country in our grief and determination. Don’t wait to take action.”
(with inputs from agencies)
