FILE - President Joe Biden speaks in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, April 28, 2022. Biden needs to make a decision about cancelling student debt. For student loan activists, the past week began with hope as Biden gave his clearest indication that he was considering canceling federal debt rather than simply allowing borrowers to defer payments during the pandemic. But that soon gave way to disappointment when Biden signaled days later that any debt relief would be much less than activists wanted. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
FILE - President Joe Biden speaks in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, April 28, 2022. Biden needs to make a decision about cancelling student debt. For student loan activists, the past week began with hope as Biden gave his clearest indication that he was considering canceling federal debt rather than simply allowing borrowers to defer payments during the pandemic. But that soon gave way to disappointment when Biden signaled days later that any debt relief would be much less than activists wanted. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
President Joe Biden on Tuesday responded to the Supreme Court draft opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade, reiterating his support for abortion rights and the belief that the landmark 1973 ruling “not be overturned.”
Biden’s statement, released by the White House, came after POLITICO on Monday published an initial draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito that would undo Roe's guaranteed federal protections of abortion rights — as well as a subsequent 1992 decision, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, that largely maintained those rights.
Biden acknowledged that White House officials “do not know whether this draft is genuine, or whether it reflects the final decision of the Court.” But he said he believes “that a woman’s right to choose is fundamental, Roe has been the law of the land for almost fifty years, and basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned.”
Biden also noted that — amid a rash of state legislation in recent months aimed at limited abortion rights and access — he had directed the White House Gender Policy Council and the White House counsel’s office “to prepare options for an Administration response … under a variety of possible outcomes in the cases pending before the Supreme Court.” He added: “We will be ready when any ruling is issued.”
Finally, Biden warned that if the Supreme Court “does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation’s elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman’s right to choose. And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November.”
“At the federal level,” he said, “we will need more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, which I will work to pass and sign into law.”
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.