WASHINGTON — Pennsylvania’s Democratic U.S. senators both spoke out over the weekend with reactions to the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade.
The anniversary was Saturday.
Sen. John Fetterman had some strong words to say about the anniversary of the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization
“It was true a year ago and it’s true today: Deciding when and how to become a mother is a decision that should be made by women and their doctors, not politicians or extremist Supreme Court Justices,” Fetterman said.
Medical care for women has suffered in the year since the decision was made.
“Since Roe was overturned, states across the country have steadily stripped this right away or banned abortions altogether,” the senator continued. “This is deeply dangerous to women across the country who need medical care. We know that these laws have cost lives and caused unnecessary suffering for so many families.
“A woman’s right to make her own health care decisions is sacred and non-negotiable. Period,” he added. “It is time for the Senate to finally scrap the filibuster and pass the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify Roe v. Wade into law. We can’t afford to wait any longer.”
Sen. Bob Casey tweeted a short statement, agreeing with his colleague.
“In the year since SCOTUS overturned Roe v Wade, countless women’s lives have been put at risk because of the bans implemented as a result,” Casey said. “Even still, extreme Republicans are continuing to push for a national abortion ban.”
He made a promise in his statement, too. “I’ll keep fighting against their dangerous agenda,” Casey said.
Democratic Attorneys General Association — of which Pennsylvania’s Michelle Henry and New York’s Tish James are members — issued a statement on what they called a “grim anniversary.”
“Since the Dobbs ruling, we’ve seen anti-abortion activists and politicians wreak further havoc on people’s freedom to make their own decisions about their bodies,” the statement from co-chairs Delaware AG Kathy Jennings and Nevada AG Aaron Ford began.
“While our AG colleagues on the opposite side of the aisle poke and prod at ways to attack abortion providers and create more hurdles to abortion access, we as Democratic Attorneys General have fought back with every legal tool we have in our toolboxes. And we must remember that Roe was always the floor, not the ceiling.
“We will continue to work towards a place where abortion is available to everyone that needs it — regardless of their zip code.”
