Pelosi: Roe Decision Is 'Slap in the Face to Women'

Speaker vows to codify law protecting abortion rights after Supreme Court ruling
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jun 24, 2022 12:03 PM CDT
Pelosi: It's a 'Slap in the Face' to Women
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi reacts to the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade at the Capitol in Washington on Friday.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, declaring that "the radical Supreme Court is eviscerating American rights and endangering their health and safety," per the Hill. She added: "What this means to women is such an insult. It's a slap in the face to women about using their own judgment to make their own decisions about their reproductive freedom." Pelosi also vowed that Democrats would continue to try to get a federal law on the books to protect abortion rights. Other reaction:

  • Trump: Former President Trump praised the decision to Fox News. "This is following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago," Trump said. "This brings everything back to the states where it has always belonged." He added, "I think, in the end, this is something that will work out for everybody." Asked whether he played a role by appointing conservative justices, Trump replied, "God made the decision."
  • Attorney general: AG Merrick Garland said the Justice Department "will work tirelessly to protect and advance reproductive freedom," per the AP. He noted that in addition to protecting providers and those seeking abortions in states where it remains legal, "we stand ready to work with other arms of the federal government that seek to use their lawful authorities to protect and preserve access to reproductive care." He added that the FDA has approved the use of mifepristone, a drug used to end pregnancies. "States may not ban mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDA's expert judgment about its safety and efficacy," Garland said.
  • In favor: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., applauded the decision. "A lot of lives are going to be saved," McCarthy told reporters. "But it also goes back to people in the states to have a say in the process."
(More Nancy Pelosi stories.)

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