The U.S. Supreme on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that granted women a right to an abortion, and officials in Connecticut are reacting.
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro said in a statement that the Supreme Court has made a “dangerous move,” the decision “puts women’s lives at risk” and the right to privacy, access to contraception and gay marriage are at stake.
U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes called the decision “horrifying” and said it jeopardizes the healthcare of millions.
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Attorney General William Tong said millions of women nationwide “will end their day with fewer rights than they woke up with.”
In a statement, he said marriage equality, inter-racial marriage, and access to birth control “are all in the crosshairs.”
Following are statements from several Connecticut elected officials.
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro
Following is the full statement DeLauro (D-CT 3rd District) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court ruling.
“I wish I was shocked, but I sadly am not. This activist conservative Supreme Court that lambasts decisions it does not like as judicial activism has made a dangerous move, disregarding science and decades of legal precedent to strip away a woman’s fundamental and constitutional right to make her own health care decisions. Make no mistake, this decision puts women’s lives at risk.
“The decision to terminate a pregnancy, for whatever reason, is an immensely personal decision that can only be made by a woman after receiving counsel from her doctor and whoever else she chooses. This Supreme Court’s action today is not about protecting life. It is about stripping power, control, and dignity away from women. Their hypocrisy and cruelty for those that do not subscribe to their warped worldview is the point.
“We must immediately act. Roe v. Wade has been the law of the land for nearly 50 years. Overturning it now sets a dangerous precedent and opens the door to the end of additional judicial precedents. The right to privacy is at stake. Access to contraception is at stake. Gay marriage is at stake. I shudder to think about what the conservative majority of the Supreme Court will choose to strip away next.
“For decades, GOP lawmakers have sought to overturn Roe. Their goal is clear: a total ban on abortions across the nation. We know several states are poised to outlaw the right to choose in the wake of this ruling. We cannot allow these draconian laws to take effect. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to join the House in protecting abortion rights by passing the Women’s Health Protection Act.
“I am proud that Connecticut has proactively taken steps to protect the right to an abortion and has created a sanctuary for those seeking an abortion. We will continue to the lead the way, but we cannot be complacent and assume these protections will last forever. We cannot and should not accept a world where women are hostage to their geography.
“The majority of Americans support the right to choose, and I swear I will not stop fighting with them to protect it.”
U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes
U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT 5th District) released the following statement:
“While I am not surprised, I am deeply disturbed by the ruling of Supreme Court. This decision is horrifying and jeopardizes the healthcare of millions. For decades, we have seen the right to choose under attack, and today, those rights have been stripped away in one swift decision. Banning abortions will not stop abortions; it only compels women to risk their lives and health by seeking unsafe abortion care. Reproductive care and abortion access are essential. I will continue to fight so every person can make their personal health care decisions.”
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released a statement after the ruling was released.
“In overturning Roe, the Court strips women of the freedom to make their own healthcare decisions and puts that power in the hands of the government.
“A woman no longer has the right to decide when and whether to bear children. In fact, if Mitch McConnell is in charge, he’ll be leading a national ban on abortion, shredding laws in Connecticut and other states protecting women’s choice.
“Every American should have the right to decide whether and when to have children. Politicians do not know better than women what kind of care they need from their physicians. The government should never be allowed to dictate decisions about pregnancy that should remain between a woman and her doctor. The government should not be able to impose a forced pregnancy on anyone – especially a pregnancy that is the result of abuse or rape or threatens their life.”
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement:
“A group of unelected politicians masquerading as justices just eliminated a constitutional right that generations of women have known and relied on – the right to make decisions about their own bodies, to decide if and when to have children. This is a disaster for every person in every state – even in states like Connecticut that have proactively protected the right to an abortion. And it’s only the beginning. Overturning Roe was the first step toward achieving the Republicans’ ultimate goal: a nationwide abortion ban. Today is a devastating day, and those of us who believe government should stay out of women’s health care must do everything in our power to fight back. Giving up is not an option,” Murphy said in a statement.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney
Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT 2nd District issued the following statement:
“The decision released by the Supreme Court today overturning 50 years of settled law protecting the reproductive health decisions of women and families in the U.S. is a stunning step backwards for the privacy rights of all Americans,” Courtney said in a statement.
“This isn’t just about reproductive choice—according to the reasoning of the Supreme Court’s majority opinion and concurring opinion by Justice Thomas, privacy rulings in the Griswold and Obergefell cases protecting access to contraceptives and marriage are at risk. That is why huge majorities of Americans in public opinion polls opposed overturning Roe. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor—a Reagan appointee—warned decades ago that a decision like this would come with a ‘bitter price’ for our country, and she was right. We’re fortunate that in Connecticut, our state has voted to enact laws that protect women and families’ right to make their own health and reproductive decisions, but today’s ruling opens the door to a further federal intrusion to state protections. In the Senate, Minority Leader McConnell has already signaled that legislative action could be on the table to supersede voters in states like Connecticut, and to end reproductive rights nationwide. In the House, last September I joined the majority when we passed the Women’s Health Protection Act that codifies Roe v. Wade. Protecting privacy rights is what the American people want, and I will continue to work on measures such these to reverse the Supreme Court’s relentless efforts to turn the clock back in this country,” Courtney added.
U.S. Rep. John Larson
Larson (D-CT 1st District) released the following statement:
“The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn almost 50 years of precedent and subjugate women’s rights to their own bodies is shameful,” Larson said. “Abortion is now completely outlawed in 13 states with more expected to follow.
“The House passed the Women’s Health Protection Act ten months ago, and the Supreme Court’s draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked in April of this year. The Senate knows the urgency to protect this right, and the filibuster is once again standing in the way. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say you need 60 votes to pass a law.
“I am proud Connecticut has already taken action to protect the right to safe and legal abortion, but the Senate must act at a federal level to ensure every American in every state can access the reproductive care they need,” Larson’s statement says. “There is no time to waste; the Women’s Health Protection Act must become law now.”
He said the Women's Health Protection Act establishes the federal statutory right for health care providers to offer abortion care and the federal right for patients to receive that care, free from state restrictions.
U.S. Rep Jim Himes
Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT 4th District) released the following statement:
“A Republican-appointed Supreme Court just struck down 50 years of precedent in an abhorrent assault on the basic American right to seek health care,” Himes said. “Make no mistake, this ruling is a targeted attack on bodily autonomy and denies women the most basic freedom: to control their own bodies, healthcare and future. This ruling does not reflect the will of the people, but rather the radical politicization of America’s highest court.
“The fight isn’t over. Connecticut remains a safe haven for women in need of abortions, but Congress must use every tool at our disposal to ensure that all Americans have full access to reproductive care and the right to govern their own bodies.”
More Coverage of Roe V. Wade
Gov. Ned Lamont
Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont released the following statement.
“Today’s Supreme Court decision drastically oversteps the constitutional right for Americans to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions without government interference. Decisions on reproductive healthcare should only be made between a patient and their doctor without the interference of politicians. This ruling will not only result in a patchwork of unequal laws among the states, but more importantly it will result in dangerous and life-threatening situations similar to what this country witnessed countless times in the era prior to the landmark Roe case in which women died or were left severely injured because they could not access the medical care that they should have every right to access on their own.
“I am grateful to live in Connecticut, where our laws make it clear that women have a right to choose. As long as I am governor, reproductive rights will be protected in Connecticut and I will do everything in my power to block laws from being passed that restrict those rights.”
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz
Lt. Governor Bysiewicz released the following statement:
“Today is a dark and devastating day for women across this nation. This ruling demolishes almost a half century of settled law ensuring women’s reproductive freedom, and the right to have an abortion is an integral part of a women’s reproductive freedom. This ruling is cruel and unconscionable because it targets poor women, indigenous women and women of color in particular. This ruling does not mean that women will no longer receive abortions, but millions of women will no longer have access to safe abortions. This ruling will criminalize health care providers, and half of our country. This unbelievable decision moves our country backward by preventing women from achieving full equality by overturning a law that a majority of our country supports.
"While I am incredibly proud that Connecticut is a leader in protecting women’s reproductive rights with our first-in-the-nation law that protects medical providers and patients seeking abortion care in Connecticut, many women will still be left without options. It is time that other states step up and do the same to protect the women in their states, and stop letting anti-abortion rhetoric dismantle decades of progress. Governor Lamont and I want women across the country to know that Connecticut is a safe harbor, we will provide reproductive care to any woman who needs it, and we will protect the medical providers who provide that necessary care.”
CT Attorney General William Tong
Attorney General William Tong issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health overturning Roe v. Wade.
“Tonight, millions of women nationwide will end their day with fewer rights than they woke up with. We need to be clear-eyed and realistic about just how dangerous this decision is for women, patients, and doctors, and what it signals for every single major decision before the Court. Make no mistake—this is just the beginning of a systematic right-wing effort to rewrite decades of bedrock legal precedent, the foundation of which is our long-recognized right to privacy in making our most personal decisions. We are about to see a tsunami of radical litigation and legislation aimed at further eroding rights we have taken for granted—some for generations. Marriage equality, inter-racial marriage, and access to birth control are all in the crosshairs. We know already there are plans to push for a nationwide abortion ban should Republicans gain control of both houses of Congress. If that happens, I will be the first to sue. This decision carves our nation in two—states that trust the personal and professional decisions of women and doctors, and states where craven politicians control and criminalize those choices. Connecticut is a safe state, but we will need to be vigilant, aggressive and proactive to defend our rights,” Tong said in a statement.
State Senator Saud Anwar
State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) released the following statement:
"Today, our courts have decided that safe abortions will no longer be allowed in much of the country. This decision will lead to death, severe illness and complications due to unsafe abortions. The clock has been dialed back about 50 years."
State Senator Jorge Cabrera
State Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) released the following statement:
"The Supreme Court decision today overturning almost 50 years of established law threatens the freedoms of women everywhere," said Sen. Cabrera. "We must stand together to protect the right to choose. Although this is a somber time, it is not the end of this fight. In Connecticut, we will continue to ensure the right to choose is protected no matter what."
CT State Senator Christine Cohen
CT State Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) released the following statement:
"Although we have been waiting for the other shoe to drop since we learned of the Supreme Court leaked opinion in May, I don't know that we could have adequately prepared ourselves for the emotional toll this decision brings. While we deserve time to digest this reversal of long-settled law, we do not have the luxury of inaction. My colleagues and I will continue to ensure abortion is legal, safe and accessible here in Connecticut, and Connecticut will remain a safe haven for those seeking and providing abortions. State legislatures will now be a citizen's direct line of defense in this attack on reproductive rights, and I implore you to continue to elect representatives who are steadfast and unwavering in their support of abortion access."
State Senator Will Haskell
State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) released the following statement.
"Is it possible to be unsurprised but stunned? Today, our country took a devastating step backward. Now, states must follow Connecticut's lead by insisting that abortion is health care and ensuring all are welcome to exercise their rights here.
"For the first time, the Supreme Court has taken away a broadly popular and often-exercised right. And they won't stop here. In the text of today's decision, Justice Thomas laid the groundwork to 'correct the error' of rulings allowing contraception, same sex relations and gay marriage.
"I thank Justices Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan for their dissent, 'with sorrow – for this court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection.'"
Senators Kevin Kelly and Paul Formica:
Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford) and Senate Republican Leader Pro Tempore Paul Formica (R-East Lyme) released the following statement:
“The Supreme Court's decision does not change a woman's right to choose in the state of Connecticut, nor will it. In Connecticut, the protections in Roe v. Wade were codified in state law in 1990. Over the years Connecticut has been joined by many other states in enacting similar protections, and the right to choose is broadly protected across New England. The Supreme Court decision does not and will not change the Connecticut laws that have embedded these protections in state law.”
CT State Senator Julie Kushner
State Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) release the following statement:
“Today, Donald Trump’s hand-picked conservative U.S. Supreme Court rolled the clock back by decades on the fundamental right, the fundamental choice, that American women have had enshrined in constitutional law for half a century. Today, that conservative U.S. Supreme Court returned America to a darker time in our past – a time of fright and secrecy, of shame and physical danger for women. But women all across America today should know: Connecticut and its laws – written and passed by Democrats – is a beacon of hope and safety for you. We understand, we are on your side, and we will always be there for women who someday may have to make a difficult decision about their own body and who will need compassion, care, and a legal system that supports and protects them. That will never change in Connecticut.”
State Senator Matt Lesser
State Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) released the following statement:
“Five right-wing justices have thrown down the gauntlet, jeopardizing the reproductive rights of millions of families across the country," Lesser said in a statement. "The reckless scope of this decision is simply staggering - it threatens not just the right to abortion, but all kinds of other rights as well, including rights to marry and rights to contraception. The Supreme Court may be stuck in the 19th century, but Connecticut now has an obligation to review our laws to ensure 21st century access to health care not just in our state but nationwide. Our role shouldn’t be underestimated - a century and a half ago, Connecticut was a critical stop on the Underground Railroad. We should consider playing a same role today for women facing threats and imprisonment in nearly half the country.”
Senate President Martin Looney
Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven) released the following statement.
"This decision will cause confusion, pain, and division across our country and will do so disproportionally for low income women whose health care options are already limited. Democrats in the General Assembly anticipated this upending of legal precedent and enacted additional safeguards for reproductive health care in our state this year, including protection against litigation from residents of other states."
State Senator James Maroney
Senator Maroney released the following statement:
"This decision moves our country backwards," Maroney said in a statement. "While we have Roe Versus Wade codified in Connecticut, this is a step backwards for women's rights and reproductive freedom. I am saddened by the supreme court's decision, but resolved to continue to fight in Connecticut to protect the rights of all of our residents."
State Senator Norm Needleman
State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) released the following statement:
"Today is a sad day for women and women's rights in the United States. I believe strongly that these decisions should be made between a woman and her doctor and that the government should have a very limited role in this conversation. I am grateful, however, that Connecticut has taken steps in a bipartisan way to protect the rights of women and to ensure they can get adequate reproductive healthcare on their terms in our state."
State Senator Derek Slap
State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) released the following statement:
"I am stunned at this news. Even though we knew it was likely, I am so saddened at what this decision will do for women's freedom and for our nation. It is not enough to just take solace that we live in a state like Connecticut which protects women's freedom. We know that all women in all states deserve the right to choose. We also know that the rights we enjoy in Connecticut are under attack – in every election, and every year, we need to remain vigilant."
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker
Mayor Justin Elicker released the following statement:
"The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate the right to an abortion is an afront on a person’s bodily autonomy and ability to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions.
"It is my firm belief that access to safe, legal reproductive care is a fundamental human right – and the weighty decision on whether or not to have a child should be made by a patient in consultation with their doctor alone.
"The City of New Haven is committed to ensuring safe, quality access of reproductive care to any New Haven resident that needs it, and there are many ways residents can access reproductive care, including through Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, Cornell Scott Hill Health Center, Fair Haven Community Health Center, Yale New Haven Health, or their own primary care physician and OBGYN.
"New Haven is, and will always remain, a place where no one is denied the right to choose or the reproductive care they deserve. We are not going back.”
Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons
Mayor Caroline Simmons released the following statement :
"Today's Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is both shocking and devastating to the progress we've made as nation in the fight for equality. I share in the anguish that too many of our neighbors feel in this nation, particularly women, but too many communities that have all too often felt marginalized.
"This decision will put women's lives at risk by preventing access to safe and affordable healthcare for millions of Americans. But the opinion doesn't stop there - it shows an intentional commitment by a handful of special interests that are out of step with the American people to go after other rights that we have held dear and endangering many Americans' way of life.
"In Connecticut, we are fortunate to have had strong leadership fighting to protect these rights for women. As Mayor, I will continue to work alongside our state and local partners to ensure equitable access to essential healthcare for women and families in Stamford. I am grateful to those who work every day to provide these services to women across the country, and they deserve our support on this difficult day."
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