Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade: Local Reactions
“Let’s be clear that this ruling is truly catastrophic, but the work and the fight iis not over. It will never be over. We will keep speaking up and showing up to ensure we control our bodies, our families and our futures – that we can all live healthy lives with dignity. We don’t depend on courts and politicians. We depend on each other!”
June 24, 2022, 11:47 am
By Steve Ahlquist
There will be a press conference outside the Federal Courthouse (opposite Kennedy Plaza), Providence House today (Friday, June 24) at 3pm to protest the decision and stand up for reproductive rights.
There will be a rally at the Rhode Island State House tonight (Friday, June 24) at 8pm to protest the decision and stand up for reproductive rights.
How the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act died in the General Assembly this year: 21 members of the House implored Speaker Shekarchi to bring the EACA to a vote – to no avail
Rhode Island Speaker of the House Joseph Shekarchi:
Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey:
“In anticipation of a decision like the one the Supreme Court made today, the Senate acted in 2019 to codify Roe v. Wade into state law. As a result, no Rhode Islander is losing rights today. The EACA has financial implications and should be considered as part of the budget, but was not included in the proposal presented to the Legislature in January, or in the budget the House sent to the Senate last week. We plan to address this issue in the 2023 session.”
The Womxn Project:
“The US Supreme Court just overturned Roe and Casey. Precedent for 50 years gone. There is so much more to say, but know that the impact will be swift and devastating. This decision will not only severely limit abortion access in at least 26 states and territories, but will exacerbate existing barriers, especially for people of color, individuals with low incomes, and immigrants.
“Hostile states will likely try to ban abortion, but here in Rhode Island because of the work that we did together over decades and the passage of the Reproductive Privacy Act in 2019, abortion is legal and we still have the right. Yes, that should be a comfort to anyone who needs care or will need or want to end a pregnancy in the coming days, but it is also a call to action. We need to speak up loudy and defiantly to make it clear that abortion IS a right and should be accessible for everyone everywhere.
“That means investing in the abortion funds and support networks who will be working hard to make sure people can get care. It also means holding accountable the politicians in Congress and right here who have not done more – not done their job to protect our rights and not just ensure, but expand access. A majority of Rhode Islanders supported the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act and a majority of the 2022 General Assembly signed on, but Governor McKee, House Speaker Joe Shekarchi and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio didn’t get the job done. The governor allowed a budget to pass that denied insurance benefits for abortion for state employees and people who use Medicaid and the leadership refused to allow the bill to get a vote on the floor. In spite of a constant public outcry, they did not do what was needed to make sure the right we worked so hard to protect would be made real for people facing financial barriers. Well trust that we will remember this in the coming elections. We will remember – and call out – every elected official who got in the way of doing more to ensure true access to abortion care.
“But getting rid of the ban on coverage isn’t enough. The Womxn Project and our partners are demanding more. We are going to continue to educate, organize and mobilize to get rid of the policy that forces young people to involve a parent and pushes care out of reach. We will expand who can provide aboriton care in order to expand access to services. We will address the laws that fuel mass incarceration, but also make sure that if the state puts people behind bars that they do not lose their humanity or access to the full range of reproductive health care they need, including abortion. We will spotlight the harm of fake clinics and make sure they don’t get state funds to prey on people who need real health care and accurate information. We will work with our partners and volunteers to do all we can to make sure that regardless of age or income, race or immigration status that no matter what people will get the information, support and services they need to plan their families, manage their health, and plan their families and futures. NO MATTER WHAT WE WILL CARE FOR US!
“But it is not enough just to speak out and show up for abortion rights and reproductive health information and care. Abortion access is one of several fundamental rights under attack in the U.S., including our right to vote, racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and a host of other rights intertwined with our right to liberty in which Roe v. Wade was grounded, such as contraception and marriage equality. This fight is so much more than abortion – though it is also about being unequivocally in support of abortion when anyone wants care.
“Let’s be clear that this ruling is truly catastrophic, but the work and the fight iis not over. It will never be over. We will keep speaking up and showing up to ensure we control our bodies, our families and our futures – that we can all live healthy lives with dignity. We don’t depend on courts and politicians. We depend on each other! And that is what gives us hope – that together we are strong. We have seen time and again how much amazing progress is possible when we leverage our collective strength.”
Rhode Island Coalition for Reproductive Freedom:
“When we led the fight to pass the Reproductive Privacy Act in 2019 and codify the protections of Roe v. Wade in Rhode Island state law, many argued this day would not come – yet, today, the U.S. Supreme Court has defied the will of the majority of people in our country by eliminating the federal constitutional right to abortion.
“We are outraged, and we are horrified. The court has failed us all, taking away the fundamental power to control our bodies and giving it to politicians. Here in Rhode Island, although the right to abortion is protected, our state laws decide who can use their health insurance to cover abortion care – and who might be forced to pay out of pocket or carry a pregnancy to term against their will.
“Rhode Islanders deserve better. It is time for action: We demand the General Assembly reckon with unfinished business by passing the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act, ending Rhode Island abortion bans, and helping to ensure equitable abortion access for all. It is the right thing to do.”
Women’s Fund of Rhode Island (WHEF)
“We at the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island stand in fierce opposition to the Supreme Court decision reversing Roe vs. Wade. For decades, our organization has fought to ensure that women have the right to choose abortion, including the fight resulting in the passage of the Reproductive Privacy Act in 2019. People can’t be truly equal or free if they don’t have control over their own bodies and reproductive lives.
“The decision about whether, when, or how to become a parent is one of the most important life decisions we make. Forcing someone to continue a pregnancy against their will and denying abortion care is a violation of their freedom and humanity. We maintain that ALL people deserve the right to control their own bodies.
“Living a safe and healthy life is a basic right. Abortion care is health care. When people have access to a full range of health care services, including birth control, abortion, and maternity care, they are healthier, and their families thrive. Abortion bans and restrictions fall hardest on Black, Indigenous, and other people of color working to make ends meet. Part of building a more just and equitable society is ensuring that abortion care is available and affordable for all.
“Beyond the threat to abortion rights, the overturning of Roe v. Wade has serious implications and potential consequences for other feminist causes, including birth control, gay marriage, transgender rights, and the safety and security of LGBTQ+ and feminist activists. This decision makes our work more urgent and necessary than ever.
“Health disparities have never been more apparent than in the past few years, given the dual health and economic crises caused by COVID-19. Those struggling to make ends meet already face barriers to accessing care. While abortion may remain legal in Rhode Island due to our local laws, low-income women and those on state employee health insurance might as well live in the 39 states where abortion is now against the law.
“Let’s trust people to make the decisions that are best for their lives and bodies. Our policies and budgets should ensure affordable and available abortion care. We must work to ensure that access to abortion care does not depend on who you are, where you live, or how much money you make. For this reason, we continue to push our general assembly members to pass the RI Equality in Abortion Coverage Act.
“What can you do?
- Donate to and volunteer with local abortion funds and providers (WHEF and Planned Parenthood are two options)
- Donate to and volunteer with advocacy organizations that are working to expand access to reproductive services, rights, and freedom (many of which you will see at the rally tonight)
- Elect legislators who will pass laws to protect all people’s rights to bodily autonomy and abortion care (many of whom you will see at the rally tonight)
- Run for office so you can pass laws to protect all people’s rights to bodily autonomy and abortion care
- Donate to and volunteer with Women’s Fund of Rhode Island so we can continue supporting these efforts!”
ACLU of Rhode Island:
“Today’s court decision is an unprecedented attack on women’s rights and reproductive freedom,” ACLU of RI executive director Steven Brown. “Forcing someone to carry a pregnancy against their will has life-altering consequences, including possible serious health risks from continued pregnancy and childbirth, and the derailment of efforts to achieve equal status in the workplace and to make critical decisions about their lives, families, and careers.
“Thanks to the General Assembly’s passage of the Reproductive Privacy Act three years ago, abortion remains safe and legal in Rhode Island. But it is essential that our leaders go further to ensure abortion is not only legal, but also accessible and affordable for everyone who needs it. It is therefore absolutely critical that legislators pass the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act at the earliest possible opportunity.
“Some of our most fundamental rights are now in jeopardy as a result of this decision, and the ACLU of Rhode Island pledges to work with others in fighting back against this extraordinary judicial attack on our basic freedoms.”
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England:
“The Supreme Court overturned nearly 50 years of precedent and eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion, stripping people of the right to control their own bodies. This final decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization comes 7 weeks after the leaked draft decision and could lead to 26 states swiftly moving to ban abortion.
“The consequences of this devastating decision will fall on those who already face the greatest barriers to health care due to this country’s legacy of racism and discrimination, including Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities, people with low incomes, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and people living in rural areas.
“The court’s decision goes against the will of the American people, 80% of whom support legal abortion. Even with today’s devastating decision, abortion is still legal in Connecticut and Rhode Island. People who need care should go to abortionfinder.org or call 1-800-230-PLAN.”
“This is personal,” said Amanda Skinner, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “We are all outraged and devastated that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and taken away our federal constitutional right to abortion. The Supreme Court has just undone nearly 50 years of legal precedent and can no longer be counted on to uphold our fundamental freedom. By stripping Americans of their federal constitutional rights, this ruling will begin a ripple effect — spreading abortion bans across the country and allowing lawmakers to have free rein in personal medical decisions.
“The consequences for people across the country will be heartbreaking. More than 36 million women and many more people who can become pregnant could immediately lose access to abortion. Let’s be clear – this decision goes beyond abortion. This is about who has control over you and your body, who has the authority to make decisions for you and your future.
“Abortion remains legal in Rhode Island, and our health centers are still open and providing abortion care. We will continue to do whatever we can to provide a full range of sexual and reproductive health care services. Planned Parenthood will never back down. We are here for you, your health, and the health of your community—no matter what.”
GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders
“Every person in this country should be deeply alarmed by this shameful ruling, which is simply not normal and should be beyond the bounds of what is thinkable for the body entrusted to uphold our constitutional freedoms,” said GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders Executive Director Janson Wu. “A majority of Justices of the Supreme Court has overturned a half-century-old precedent protecting a vital individual right – a right re-affirmed by this same Court as recently as six years ago – and held open the door for a return to dangerous government intrusion into our most personal decisions and freedoms.
“There is no doubt this decision will have devastating consequences for millions of women and for anyone who can become pregnant. The consequences of restricting or completely banning abortion, as some states are poised to do, will fall hardest on people and families of color and those without the financial resources to travel out of state or seek alternative routes to care. This includes members of the LGBTQ community, who also get pregnant and need access to abortion care.
“Today’s decision comes amid grave and escalating assaults on many fundamental liberties. We must rally together across all our communities to push back against these extreme assaults. We will fight alongside our partners and at every level of state and federal government and in the courts for the right of transgender people to access life-saving healthcare and for parents’ basic right to seek that care for their transgender children; for the rights of LGBTQ students and students with LGBTQ families to be welcomed and included in schools; to protect the recognition of our relationships; to ensure stronger protections for LGBTQ families and all families; and for access to abortion, contraception and reproductive choice.”
Rhode Island Working Families Party
“By hijacking the Supreme Court, Republicans have achieved their long-sought goal of stripping people seeking abortions of the right to plan families and control their own bodies,” said Working Families Party New England Regional Director Georgia Hollister Isman. “Without access to abortion there is no such thing as equality for women. Abortion is an economic justice issue as much as anything. People with wealth and connections will, as they always have, be able to access the care they need safely, while poor and working class people who need abortion care will be forced into pregnancies. There is no just society that doesn’t make abortion legal, safe, and accessible for all.
“This decision is another reminder: Elections matter. Abortion will remain legal is Rhode Island because the many new lawmakers we’ve elected value women’s equality and everyones bodily autonomy, and they codified Roe in state law in 2019. But for many people who need them, abortions are effectively still banned in Rhode Island – because the state does not cover them under Medicaid or the state employee health plan – putting them economically out of reach.
“With our democracy under attack at the national level, Rhode Island state leaders and our elected leaders in Washington need to step up now to protect abortion for anyone who needs one.”
Black Lives Matter Rhode Island PAC:
“Today’s Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is a direct attack on Black and Brown communities and opens the door to statewide bans throughout the country that will disproportionately harm Black women, transgender, and gender-nonconforming people who have all been subjected to a long history of reproductive control rooted in sexism and the history of enslavement. Denying access to safe, legal abortion and gender-affirming health services is detrimental to the health and lives of people capable of reproducing. This decision will continue to compound these layers of oppression on poor people with reproductive bodies.
“With the General Assembly session coming to an end, BLM RI PAC urges supporters and elected officials to call on Rhode Island’s General Assembly to call for a special legislative session to pass the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act, and on Governor Dan McKee to not sign the budget until it has been passed, and an executive order is issued that protects abortion providers.”
United States Senator Jack Reed:
“Let’s be clear: a radical faction of Supreme Court justices are taking a way a right from every woman in America. This is an unprecedented decision that flies in the face of the claims of recent Supreme court nominees that they would defer to long-standing precedent. This is six justices taking away a Constitutional right from millions of women and putting in its place a patchwork system that makes women second-class citizens. The ruling sends a disturbing signal that a radical Court will now allow states to selectively restrict or infringe on other rights.
“This is a significant blow to equal rights for women. Because of this ruling, access to health care and the ability to receive appropriate treatment will now depend on what state you live in, your economic status, and the scrutiny and judgment of others. For women seeking reproductive health services, there is no longer a right to privacy or equal protection under the law. This appears to be part of a coordinated attempt by partisan ideologues on this Court, aided by partisan Republican leaders in Congress, to roll back people’s fundamental rights. And, no one should be under the impression that Republicans will drop their efforts to ban abortion nationally knowing the Court will favor such a law.
“Fortunately, Rhode Island law serves as a shield to blunt the impact of this decision on our residents. But that is not the same as a Constitutionally-guaranteed right. Laws can change and state laws can be pre-empted by federal law. That is why the Court’s ruling overturning this basic Constitutional protection is so corrosive to women’s rights everywhere.
“Women should have the right to make their own choices about their lives, health, and future without interference from partisan justices or politicians. Until today, they did. While I will continue to do everything within my power to pass legislation in the U.S. Senate to codify a woman’s right to choose, I hope more Americans – men and women – who believe in women’s reproductive health rights will make their voices heard at the ballot box. That is the only remedy for this poisonous ruling and the divisive agenda that Republican leaders and the Court’s majority have embraced.”
United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse:
“This is a sad, dark day for women everywhere, who have relied on the protection of Roe as settled law, and for the Court, whose reputation degrades further. Today’s decision shreds a half-century-old legal precedent in order to deny women the right to decide if and when to have children. That is among the most private, personal, and significant decisions in life, and the Court in Roe v. Waderightly held the Constitution’s guarantee of individual liberty protects such private decisions against government interference. Now,Roe’s privacy protection is gone and state legislatures can meddle freely in these intimate and difficult decisions. The consequences for millions of women are immediate, as an array of antiquated anti-abortion laws snap back into place.
“The public could not be clearer on this issue. Large majorities of Americans support upholding Roe. That’s why right-wing special interests turned to the life-tenured justices they helped install on the bench to achieve their extremist goal. This decision represents another win for those right-wing donor interests at regular Americans’ expense – another win from the Court That Dark Money Built.
“This is one of the most smug, arrogant, and untethered decisions in the Court’s history. We must find a way to reverse the damage wrought today.”
Representative David Cicilline:
“Today, in its radical decision, the Court reversed 50 years of established precedent that recognized and protected a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her health care. Today’s ruling is part of an ongoing, fundamentalist effort by the Republican Party and far right to control women and institute a national abortion ban.
“Fortunately, Rhode Islanders are protected through the Reproductive Privacy Act but, everyone and anyone who cares about basic freedoms in this country should be alarmed by this decision. The far right and the Republican Party have packed the Supreme Court with radical Justices to enact a policy agenda that is deeply unpopular with the American people. They couldn’t pass these policies through the legislative process, and so now have turned to using – and abusing – the Court to circumvent our democracy.
“The House passed the Women’s Health Protection Act last year, but Senate Republicans refuse to allow a vote that guarantees women the most basic right, the right to make decisions about her health care. The American people will have the opportunity to change that in November.”
Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee:
“Roe v. Wade has been the law of the land for almost 50 years. Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a travesty, full stop.
“Here in Rhode Island, we will always support a woman’s right to choose. Despite today’s ruling, Rhode Islanders still have the right to access abortion health care services in our state thanks to the General Assembly codifying these protections into law – but all people should have the ability to make their own reproductive health care decisions, no matter where they live.
“Make no mistake about it: today’s Supreme Court decision will not stop abortions. It will only make them less safe. It’s time for Congress to act and support a woman’s right to choose, just like Rhode Island has done.”
Rhode Island Representative Anastasia Williams:
“When we were debating the Reproductive Privacy Act, so many critics told me, the other sponsors and the advocates that we were overreacting about the threat to abortion rights. These skeptics, many of them men, said Roe v. Wade was settled law and would never be overturned. But once again, privileged men in our nation’s capital were unable to empathize with the people, mostly lower income women of color, who would be harmed by the far-right’s attack on reproductive healthcare.
“I am so proud of the work my fellow cosponsors, advocates and I did to make sure abortion rights are protected here in Rhode Island, no matter what the far-right Republicans and their allies on the Supreme Court try to do.
“There is still more work to be done, though. We need to pass the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act, which would have extended health insurance coverage of abortion to state employees and Medicaid beneficiaries. We also need to protect reproductive healthcare providers from harassment and violence and I look forward to continuing the fight for reproductive health equality in the next legislative session.”
Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos:
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a disgraceful setback for millions of Americans and a reminder that political complacency is not an option,” said Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos. As a mother, the most basic thing I want for my son and daughter is for them to have opportunities to live happy, healthy, and independent lives. I will now have to explain to my daughter that she may not grow up to have the same fundamental access to healthcare as my son.
“I am deeply grateful that Rhode Island continues to protect access to abortion, but we must do more. We cannot tolerate encroachments on a this fundamental right to choose. I am disappointed that our state’s legislature did not pass the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act this year, and I will fight to make it a top legislative priority for next year’s session.”
Gubernatorial Candidate Dr. Luis Daniel Muñoz:
“Today is a signal to all.
“It’s time to raise the volume! To stand up…and to ready for the fights ahead. We should not temper the calls and actions made for progress. Instead, we must amplify these calls and actions, in the face of those who would see us return to the dark ages.”
Gubernatorial Candidate Matt Brown:
“There’s no path back to abortion rights other than deep, fearless, sustained organizing. In Rhode Island that means we need to pass the EACA and we need to defeat the anti-choice politicians in our state – including the 24 conservative Democrats still in our legislature who voted against codifying Roe v. Wade. I don’t care if you have friends in common with some of them or if you once had a nice conversation with them, this is not a social club – this is about the fight for basic human rights and survival.”
State Senator Cynthia Mendes:
“This ruling is about one thing: control – control over our bodies, control over our autonomy, control over our lives. But we will not be controlled! We’re going to fight and we’re going to defeat the conservative men running our state that keep standing in the way of reproductive rights. To every legislator who has worked to block reproductive rights: your time is done. To everybody else: let’s get to work.”
Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea:
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha:
“For nearly half a century following the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, a woman’s right to choose whether to end her pregnancy has been an established, fundamental right. Indeed, that fundamental right has been so firmly established over the lives of multiple generations of Americans that until recently, the notion of the Supreme Court going backwards in time and eliminating it has been unthinkable. And yet that is precisely what the Supreme Court has done today, in a decision that endangers women’s health and turns the Court’s own long-standing principles recognizing the critical importance of adhering to legal precedent on their head.”
“Abortion is healthcare, and today’s decision upending almost 50 years of precedent threatens essential healthcare access in states across the country where abortion is restricted under state law.
“I want to reassure Rhode Islanders that the right to an abortion remains protected here in Rhode Island. In 2019, Rhode Island codified Roe v. Wade and its progeny under our state’s Reproductive Privacy Act, ensuring that Rhode Island will not return to the days of illegal and unsafe abortions that endanger lives and create criminal liability for physicians.
“My Office has successfully defended our Reproductive Privacy Act from a legal challenge before and we stand ready to defend it in the future.”
Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner:
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a devastating step backward for women and underscores how high the stakes are for this election. In Congress, I will fight to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law so that women across the country can make their own healthcare decisions.”
David Segal, Candidate for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District:
“Today, our worst fears have been confirmed. The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, the bedrock of reproductive freedom in our country for nearly five decades.
“This ruling will have devastating consequences. In many states across the country, abortion is now effectively illegal, or soon will be — meaning people will be forced to violate state laws to access reproductive care. The reproductive rights that are maintained in many other states are now dependent on the composition of state legislatures — and could still fall at the whim of Congress or the courts.
“We must act urgently: We need to codify Roe v. Wade at the national level. We must help those organizing in other states to pass similar laws and protections. We must identify ways to help those seeking care in states where it is being denied to them. And we need to ensure that Rhode Island’s laws fully protect reproductive freedom — including by expanding coverage to state workers and people who use Medicaid.
“This decision is a shameful moment in our history, and one that is indicative of fundamental failings of our governance system, including the courts. I stand with the majority of Americans who support access to legal, safe abortions and who oppose Roe being overturned. Yet an anti-choice minority has taken power through the Supreme Court to enforce a radical, far-right agenda and sweep away an essential right. Government must ensure our basic rights and freedoms, not trample upon them.
“Just a few years ago, as Rhode Island pushed to codify Roe, many said that the impulse to do so was alarmist — that Roe would never be overturned. I’m proud to have stood with those who understood that reproductive rights must be enshrined in law — and to have cosponsored legislation to codify Roe and expand reproductive rights, and to have helped guard against new restrictions, during my time in the legislature. But the work that we have done here in Rhode Island is incomplete — and does not change the fact that in other states the situation is dire, and that even our protections are vulnerable to future attacks.
“Right now, I’m following the lead of those at the front lines. The work of reproductive rights and justice organizations is now more critical than ever. I encourage you to support their work. I am also reviewing analysis of the opinion, as we come to terms with any potential implications for other rights we cherish that we must take renewed action to safeguard. We need to redouble our efforts to transform our country, our laws, and our judicial system, so that they recognize the fundamental rights of all in our nation.”
Providence City Councilmember Nirva LaFortune:
“The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey is not shocking. Right wing extremists have been planning for this moment for decades. They have been organizing, fundraising, and mobilizing a coalition of anti-choice voters to the polls year after year. They have always been guided by one principle: every election matters. Year after year, the institutions of the Republican Party and anti-choice factions of the Democratic Party have remained singularly focused on destroying the right to an abortion.
“All of the issues facing our Nation are interconnected, woven together by a history of racism, misogyny, and disinvestment in marginalized communities. Today’s decision will worsen health outcomes, it will worsen economic outcomes, and it will make our Nation less safe and less healthy.
“Today’s decision represents a catastrophic moment in our history. Women, trans men, and non-binary folks are in danger. Make no mistake about it.
“In moments like these, it is natural to question: what am I able to do? How will whatever I do today make my community a better place when the powers that be have so much influence over our daily lives?
“To that I say, let today be your motivation to dig deep and summon the resolve to stare down the powerful and say enough is enough. If today is the day you rest so that you can organize tomorrow, do so. We need you in this fight. Your ideas, your vision for a brighter future, and your resolve to settle for nothing less – we need that now.
“The moment the draft opinion leaked, my team and I got to work planning how we elevate the issue of access to abortion and the right to bodily autonomy and self-control in this campaign. As a candidate for our City’s highest office, I owe it to the people of Providence to speak out on important issues. The Mayor’s Office is a bully pulpit. And I will use that tool relentlessly to advocate for the people of Providence and their access to abortion and reproductive healthcare.
“Today is a sad day. It’s a scary day. And it is a day that will go down as a stain in our history. But it is up to us to decide how we respond. I’m choosing to fight. And I hope everyone concerned for our future will join me.”
Providence Mayoral Candidate Gonzalo Cuervo:
“Today our worst fears are confirmed. This unconscionable decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade will harm the bodily autonomy, health, and wellbeing of millions of Americans. It is a reckless action by an unaccountable body of judges. Expect more reckless decisions as they seek to tear down many more fundamental rights and protections.
“We must not give into despair. If I learned anything from my time as a community organizer, it’s that no setback, however disastrous it appears at the moment, cannot be overcome when people organize.
“There is much we can do, even at the city level, to ensure that the people of Providence continue to enjoy our fundamental freedoms. We must ensure abortion providers are kept safe, secure and accessible to all. We must also review and codify into city ordinance any and all rights we currently only have due to Supreme Court precedent while supporting similar efforts in Congress and in the RI General Assembly. As mayor, I will work with our next City Council to do so.
“This moment demands bold and decisive action by us all. The future of our democracy rests on what we each do next.”
Providence Mayoral Candidate Brett Smiley:
“The expected but devastating ruling from the Supreme Court effectively takes away a clear constitutional right to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, for everyone in the United States who seek that care. Today, we saw a majority of the Justices put their personal ideology ahead of the health of millions who need and deserve access to abortion.
“In Rhode Island in 2019, we fought hard to pass the Reproductive Privacy Act (RPA) even when so many told us it wasn’t necessary. They said that Roe v. Wade was the law of the land and that state law didn’t matter. But we fought hard, and building off of the work of advocates, we were able to build a coalition of support. In my role as Chief of Staff to Governor Raimondo, she asked me to roll up my sleeves and negotiate the details. Together, so many of us helped pass the RPA and ensure that abortion remained legal here in our state.
“This is a dangerous precedent set by the Supreme Court and it should worry all of us about what other rights might be next. In fact, Justice Thomas said the quiet part out loud, writing clearly that contraception and same-sex marriage might be next. Now, more than ever, it’s important to donate to organizations like Women’s Health & Education Fund (WHEF) and Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. And in the weeks to come we need to organize, register people and vote in the fall.”
