UPDATED 2:11 p.m.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Local representatives in Congress are reacting to the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe Versus Wade.
17th District Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-East Moline) says she’s “gutted” by the decision — which says says even as a Catholic. Bustos says the Supreme Court doesn’t belong in your Doctor’s office.
Meanwhile, 18th District Congressman Darin LaHood (R-Dunlap) says he applauds the decision, but also goes on the attack. LaHood says Democrats like House Speaker Nanci Pelosi and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker have “spent years trying to undermine and delegitimize our independent judiciary.”
The ruling gives the matter back to the states, and Pritzker has called for a special legislative session, so Democrats in Illinois may end up getting their way on this matter.
The full statements from Bustos and LaHood are below.
“As a mother, a grandmother and a Catholic, I am gutted by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Make no mistake – this ruling will cost lives and livelihoods, and its impact will be felt for generations to come.
“The U.S. Supreme Court does not belong in our doctors’ offices, and this attack on personal freedom is a radical departure from what has been accepted as the ‘law of the land’ for half a century.
“In one fell swoop, six justices stripped away the rights of millions of Americans: Survivors of rape and incest are in danger; our medical privacy and autonomy are in jeopardy; and the Supreme Court has just legalized government-mandated pregnancies.
“I fear for the other fundamental rights these justices could take away from us, and for the repercussions that will follow in the future. This is a tragic day for freedom in America.” — Rep. Cheri Bustos
“As a father of three and a Pro-Life advocate, I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs case, returning the question of abortion to the states and to the people. In Congress, I stood proudly with the growing Pro-Life movement to advocate for the Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v. Wade, and this decision is a huge victory for the sanctity of life.
“Democrats in Washington and Illinois, including President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and Governor Pritzker have spent years seeking to undermine and delegitimize our independent judiciary. In the weeks since the unprecedented leak of Justice Alito’s opinion, we have seen attacks on pro-family crisis pregnancy centers, disruptions of church services, and an assassination attempt on Justice Kavanaugh and his family. The Dobbs decision, in the face of violence, is a win for our independent judiciary and the Constitution.
“Governor Pritzker continues to push his radical abortion agenda in Illinois, which includes late-term and taxpayer-funded abortion, restrictions on conscience protections, and limits on parental involvement. The Governor’s policies are widely outside the mainstream. I will continue to lend a voice to the voiceless and push to enact Pro-Life protections that uphold the sanctity of life and support mothers and families.” – Rep. Darin LaHood
I am outraged and horrified—this outcome is a nightmare that robs women of their right to make their own choices about their healthcare and their bodies, and it paves the way for a nationwide abortion ban that Republicans have been seeking for decades. https://t.co/7lX4gVfSIn
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) June 24, 2022
Today’s decision eliminates a federally protected constitutional right that has been the law for nearly half a century. As a result, millions of Americans are waking up in a country where they have fewer rights than their parents and grandparents. https://t.co/zA3WkEusiC
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) June 24, 2022
BREAKING: In light of the Supreme Court’s decision in #Dobbs to overturn Roe v Wade, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next month to explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America.
— Senate Judiciary Committee (@JudiciaryDems) June 24, 2022
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