WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the landmark 1973 decision, Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States generally protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion.
That decision has now been overturned through a 6-3 vote on Friday by the current Supreme Court.
In the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Court held that the Constitution does not confer any right to abortion.
In Texas, access to reproductive health care has been severely limited due to its current six-week abortion ban. Thirty days from now Texas’ trigger law will criminalize abortion care providers with imprisonment of up to 99 years. The trigger law also requires the Texas Attorney General to seek civil penalties of $100,000 from abortion care providers.
While it is too early to fully calculate the political and cultural ramifications of the new Supreme Court ruling, clergy, community leaders and elected officials have given their immediate reaction.
Here are some of the views:
Texas Medical Association President Gary W. Floyd, MD:
“TMA remains committed to protecting the privacy and sanctity of the patient-physician relationship. TMA is unwavering in its stance against intrusions by government or other third parties that impede the patient-physician relationship, and any criminalization of acceptable and appropriate medical practices that may jeopardize that relationship or patients’ safety.
“Especially in high-risk situations, patients need to know their physicians will be there to care for them, and TMA will continue to work with state lawmakers to ensure a safe practice environment for physicians and their patients.”
Bishop of Brownsville Daniel E. Flores:
“The Supreme Court’s decision reversing Roe v. Wade is a welcome step forward toward building a society that truly values and honors human life. Since 1973 the Catholic Church in the United States, together with many other religious and non-religious communities, has publicly expressed its opposition to the Roe v. Wade decision. That decision was gravely unjust, and an unprecedented aggression against the life and dignity of the unborn child. It was sweeping in its effects, stripping away all previous legal protections for human life in the womb. That the 1973 decision has now been overturned makes it possible for legal protections for the unborn child to be enacted in the various states.
“The simple fact is that abortion is not primarily a religious issue, though it is an issue that rightly afflicts a religious conscience. It is a human dignity, human rights and social justice issue. The child in the womb deserves to be protected under law because the child conceived is already a member of the human family.
“A society cannot turn against its own and hope to survive. It is a matter of justice that the civil order work to promote the viability and flourishing of all human lives, be they in the womb, recently born, in school, in poverty, in danger of violence, in prison, or elderly and in need of medical care.
“As a community that seeks what is good, just and right, we can and must promote the protection of children in the womb, and promote support for expectant mothers, especially those afflicted by poverty and isolation.
“For our part, the Catholic Church in the Rio Grande Valley will continue its long-standing efforts to provide resources, human accompaniment, and spiritual support for expectant mothers in difficult circumstances and similar kinds of support for the mother and child after the child is born. And working together with many others in the community who are not Catholic, we hope to expand these efforts.
“I am grateful to God that the nightmare of Roe v. Wade is ending. And I ask all people of good will to work together so that human life may always be welcomed and nurtured in our families, our communities and our country.”
Rochelle Garza, Democratic Candidate for Texas Attorney General:
“I’m running for Texas Attorney General to fight for Texas families and that includes their constitutional right to reproductive freedom. The Supreme Court decision to overturn nearly 50 years of precedent recognizing the constitutional right to bodily autonomy and abortion access will have terrible repercussions for the working families of Texas, and will disproportionately impact women of color, people living in poverty, and rural communities. When I’m Texas’ Attorney General, I will work to restore abortion access and reproductive freedom. This fight is not over, we will stand strong.”
U.S. Senator John Cornyn of Texas:
“Today, the Court has restored one of the core principles of our Constitution with this landmark ruling. This decision correctly returns the authority of states to decide the limits on abortion and will save countless innocent lives. I commend the Justices for not bowing to the vicious intimidation campaign waged by the radical Left. I join Texans in celebrating this historic victory for life and the rule of law.”
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair, Dr. Raul Ruiz, MD:
“Outraged, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus condemns the right-wing Supreme Court’s attack on women’s freedom to make their own health care decisions. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus will continue to fight at every turn to defend women’s right to the full gamut of reproductive health care, including abortions. This attack will fall hardest on Latinas and other vulnerable and underserved communities. Everyone must be able to have a say in decisions that impact their bodies, lives, health, and futures.”
U.S. Rep. for Texas District 34 Mayra Flores:
“Life wins. This is a great day in American history. Thank God!”
Democratic Party nominee for Congressional District 15, Michelle Vallejo:
“Roe is officially overturned. Though Texas has lived a post-Roe reality for months, I am proudly part of the pro-choice majority in this country. I will always fight to protect abortion rights and reproductive freedom. These are decisions between us and our doctors and have no place with the government.
“I am the only pro-choice candidate in this race. We need representatives that will codify Roe V. Wade and advocate every single day for our right to choose. I will do everything in my power as the next congresswoman from TX15 to be a champion for Texas women and families.”
Republican Party nominee for Congressional District 15, Monica De La Cruz:
“I applaud the monumental decision made today by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the authority to protect the unborn to the people’s elected representatives in the states. This is a sound victory for the pro-life movement and will save countless innocent lives in our nation.
“I will continue to advocate for the sanctity of life and fight against federally funded abortions, a policy that President Biden and Washington Democrats support. America has some of the highest abortion rates and most extreme pro-abortion laws in the world, and it’s time to change that.
“I also strongly condemn the attacks and harassment of our Supreme Court Justices and ask the people of District 15 to join me in praying for their safety and security.”
Democratic Party nominee for Governor of Texas, Beto O’Rourke:
“The only way to overcome today’s decision is to win this race for governor.
“The Supreme Court has sent this back to the states, and our state’s current governor has outlawed abortion beginning at conception with no exception for rape or incest.
“If you care about protecting a woman’s freedom to make her own decisions about her own body, health care, and future, join this campaign and help us win.”
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick:
“Today is a tremendous day for life. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization adheres to the constitution and returns the decision on abortion back to the states. Because of our trigger bill that we passed last year, in 30 days, abortion will be banned in Texas. I thank God for delivering us this day, and I am so proud that Texas has taken the lead to ensure that such evil can no longer live in our state.
“Since I first took office in 2007, protecting life has been my top priority. In 2011, I authored the Sonogram Law, and in 2021, I was proud to lead the Texas Senate in passing the Heartbeat Act, which dramatically reduced the number of abortions that occur in Texas.
“Media estimates report that as many as 62 million innocent lives have been ended since the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade in 1973. Words cannot do that unfathomable number justice. The left will surely fight to keep the abortion industry alive in Texas, but they will fail.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling is an acknowledgement of the truth: when an abortion is performed, a human life is ended. This watershed victory is not just a victory for innocent life, but a victory for all of humanity.”
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio:
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is wrong, and it will endanger the health and safety of people in Texas and across the country. The impact of Texas Senate Bill 8 foreshadowed the dangerous consequences of the extreme abortion restrictions this ruling will allow. The Supreme Court’s action today will force women and girls to carry pregnancies that were conceived through rape and incest and empower extremists to persecute people who suffer a miscarriage or high-risk pregnancy that threatens their life. The House has voted to codify abortion rights through the Women’s Health Protection Act, and the Senate needs to act with urgency to do the same. Every American should have the freedom to decide when and how to start a family.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas:
“The Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs case, reversing Roe v. Wade, is nothing short of a massive victory for life, and it will save the lives of millions of innocent babies. The decision reverses one of the most egregious departures from the Constitution and legal precedent the United States has ever seen, and one that has resulted in the deaths of 63 million American children.
“Roe was wrong the day it was decided, and it has been wrong every day since then. If you search for the word ‘abortion’ in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, you won’t find it. The Court at the time acknowledged that, and yet Roe created a brand new constitutional ‘right’ out of whole cloth.
“And while the left manically argues that the Dobbs decision makes abortion illegal throughout the country, that is false. What this decision does is leave abortion policy up to the states and returns power to the American people—which is exactly how questions of abortion were handled before Roe.
“This is a momentous day, and yet the fight for life doesn’t end with the Dobbs decision. It simply begins a new chapter. I’ve been proud to stand for life in the U.S. Senate, and I will continue to do so as we navigate the path ahead.”
Editor’s Note: We will bring more reaction to the Supreme Court ruling as it comes in.
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