June 24, 2022 07:47 AM UTC

BREAKING: Roe v. Wade Overturned

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE #2: More local reactions coming in via the Aurora Sentinel:

GOV. JARED POLIS: “Coloradans do not want politicians making their healthcare decisions. Because of my administration and Democratic leadership in the legislature, Coloradans don’t have to worry because our rights are still protected today despite the unfortunate reality that the U.S. Supreme just rolled those freedoms back for millions of Americans in other states. In Colorado, we will continue to choose freedom and we stand against government control over our bodies. State leadership matters now more than ever and in Colorado we will not retreat to an archaic era where the powerful few controlled the freedoms over our bodies and health decisions,“ said Governor Jared Polis.

COLORADO GOP CONGRESSPERSON LAUREN BOEBET, 5th CD: “LIFE WINS! Glory to God.”

COLORADO GOP CHAIRPERSON KRISTI BURTON BROWN: “Today is the best day. After decades of so many Americans fighting for every single life, today, the Supreme Court of the United States has finally declared that every child is worth saving and that every child must be protected. This brave decision by the Supreme Court will save countless lives and ensure that the United States is no longer listed among the likes of China and North Korea when it comes to countries with extreme abortion laws. I’m proud to be a member of the Pro-Life Party and the Pro-Life generation. As a mom, I know that this decision is an amazing step towards equal protection for every child. I hope this decision leads to a real conversation – between people on all sides – about how we as a country can best work together to further support our children, mothers, and families. Life is precious. I have no doubt that this is the right decision.”

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UPDATE: Rep. Diana DeGette responds to today’s decision:

“We cannot overstate the devastating impact that this horrific decision will have on millions of people across this country. By disregarding fifty years of legal precedent, the U.S. Supreme Court has effectively stripped away from 36 million women the freedom to control their own bodies and have handed that power, instead, to the politicians in their states.

“Every situation and pregnancy is different, and everyone deserves the power and freedom to make their own decisions about their health, lives and future. Yet now, as a result of today’s decision, women in nearly half of the states across the U.S. face a terrifying legal landscape when trying to access the abortion care they need – one that will undoubtedly put the health and economic futures of millions of women at risk.

“For Republicans determined to control other people’s reproductive decisions, this decision is just the beginning of their quest to make it impossible for women to get an abortion in this country. For years, these extremists have been working to enact state laws designed to chip away at Americans’ right to access the abortion care they need. And now, as federal protections fall, these laws, which are already in place in states like Texas and Oklahoma, will soon become law in many other places as well as even more state legislatures move to ban and restrict access to abortion care within their borders.

“While such bans on abortion care affect everyone in a particular state, they disproportionately impact those who already face significant barriers to accessing the care they need – including young people, people of color, those living in rural areas and those working to make ends meet.

“As the leaders of the House Pro-Choice Caucus, we will never give up our fight to ensure that everyone in this country – regardless of where they live – has a right to make their own decisions about pregnancy and parenthood. We trust people – not politicians – to make their own decisions about their bodies, health, and lives.

“And we are more determined and committed than ever to continue doing everything we can – at every turn, and at every opportunity possible – to not only restore the protection that had been provided to us for more than 50 years under Roe, but to expand abortion access to ensure that everyone – no matter their income or zip code – has access to the care they need.”

Local abortion rights advocacy group Cobalt:

For more than 50 years, abortion opponents have been trying to overturn Roe v Wade and the Constitutional right to abortion. Although this ruling may be a shock to some, it is sadly not a surprise to those of us who have repeatedly fought off attacks on abortion rights here in Colorado.

This ruling is what we predicted and what we feared. And it is why we passed the Reproductive Health Equity Act this year, guaranteeing the fundamental right to abortion access in Colorado law. This is why we announced RHEA the day the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in this case on December 1, 2021. This is why we put in the work and the late nights with all the patients, providers, and advocates testifying to the importance of our fundamental Colorado values about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraception.

If abortion access returns to the states, Colorado must remain a place where pregnant people can access abortion care without shame, stigma, political interference, or cost barriers. We are already increasing the funding, patient support, and overall capacity for the Cobalt Abortion Fund for both in and out of state clients.

We currently have RHEA, but that is not enough. This year in the midterms our 175,000 members statewide will hold accountable those legislators who did not support abortion access. And in 2024, we will go to the ballot to enshrine the right to abortion in the Colorado Constitution.

It’s the morning we’ve been dreading; watch this space for updates and local reactions.