AFT on Monumental Pro-Choice US Supreme Court Ruling

WASHINGTON—Statement by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the 5-3 Supreme Court decision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellersted today allowing all Texas clinics offering abortion services to remain open and paving the way to reopen previously closed clinics:

"Today's Supreme Court ruling slams the door on states' efforts to cut off women's access to health services, including abortions. This is a monumental victory for women and their reproductive health. It recognizes that a woman's constitutional right to make a decision about an abortion should not be negated by political ideology. The Supreme Court correctly saw the Texas law as an undue burden—a subterfuge—designed to eliminate access to safe abortions for all but the wealthy. The court's decision draws the line against ideological interference in a woman's right to a safe, legal abortion, which was granted more than 43 years ago. While a huge victory, this ruling is only one step in the ongoing effort to undo the hundreds of medically unnecessary laws aimed at making it harder for women to exercise their constitutional right to abortion services."