Connecticut officials react to Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade

The Supreme Court voted to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade, 1973 court decision that guaranteed the right to a safe abortion for all Americans.

The court voted 6-3 in favor of overturning the decision, in a party-line split. Justices Samuel Alito, who wrote the majority opinion, Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch voted in favor. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan dissented.

Thomas wrote in a concurring opinion that the court should now look at cases that used Roe as a basis for their decision, which could impact federal protections for contraception, same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage.

Connecticut codified the rights established in Roe v. Wade into its constitution this legislative session.

So-called trigger laws that would input abortion bans after a certain period of time now that it has been banned exist in 13 states.

Here are some reactions to the decision from U.S. and Connecticut officials:

Former President Barack Obama

“Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues — attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans.”

Gov. New Lamont

“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.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal

“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.”

Sen. Chris Murphy

Rep. John Larson

“The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn almost 50 years of precedent and subjugate women’s rights to their own bodies is shameful. Abortion is now completely outlawed in 13 states with more expected to follow.”

“The House passed the Women’s Health Protection Act 10 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. There is no time to waste; the Women’s Health Protection Act must become law now.”

Rep. Rosa DeLauro

“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.”

Rep. Jahana Hayes

“Reproductive care and abortion access are essential. I will continue to fight so every person can make their personal health care decisions.”

Att. General William Tong, D

“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.”

Other reactions

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is grotesque and a direct attack on women across the nation. This is a reminder that progress is not guaranteed. Without a far-reaching and relentless effort to ensure our government reflects the common good and works on behalf of all its people, we will inevitably see more extremist rulings in the future, threatening everything from civil rights and marriage equality to environmental protections and access to public education. While I’m grateful to live in a state like Connecticut that guarantees access to safe and legal abortions, individual states can’t overcome the extremist, anti-democrat sentiment oozing out of far-right courts, legislatures and the media that guides them. President Biden and Congress must act urgently to pass national protections for abortion access, and start undoing the rot at the core of American democracy.” — Connecticut State Comptroller Natalie Braswell