Rep. Takano Statement on the Supreme Court Striking Down Roe v. Wade According to an Initial Draft Majority Opinion by Justice Samuel Alito

Statement

Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement in response to a news story in which a draft majority opinion allegedly written by Justice Samuel Alito states that the Supreme Court of the United States has voted to strike down Roe v. Wade.

"In a draft majority opinion attributed to Justice Samuel Alito, it appears that the Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. If this report is true, an extreme Supreme Court is poised to uphold a draconian law that will ban abortions after 15 weeks with no exceptions, even in cases of rape and incest. This is dangerous decision that does not reflect the will of the American people," said Rep. Mark Takano.

"Making abortion illegal will not end abortion, nor will it prevent women from seeking abortion. Rather, it will end access to safe abortion, putting the lives and the health of women across the country at risk.

"Making abortion illegal will not impact the wealthiest Americans in the way that it will impact low- and middle-income women with limited access to resources, further widening the gaps that are present in our healthcare system.

"At its core, making abortion illegal will strip women of their fundamental right to make their own decisions about their own bodies, a right that no one -- not even the Supreme Court of the United States -- should interfere with.

"I am fully and wholeheartedly against this decision, and I will continue to do everything in my power to protect a woman's right to choose and to protect access to safe abortion for those who choose it. The House has passed the Women's Health Protection Act of 2021, which will codify the right of American women to make their own reproductive decisions into federal law -- now it is time for the Senate to take that bill up and pass it, even if doing so requires circumventing the filibuster. My colleagues in the Senate must not prioritize the arcane rules of their body over the fundamental rights of American women.

"It's important to note that this decision is not finalized and does not change the law as it stands at this point in time. Abortion is still legal, and I will always fight to keep it that way."

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