Supreme Court's Ruling in Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood Emphasizes Importance of New Attacks on Choice

Keenan said anti-choice state and federal lawmakers are relentless in their attacks on legal abortion. The law at issue in Ayotte is a prime example of how anti-choice politicians use not just Congress, but also the states to enact measures that undermine women’s reproductive freedom as guaranteed under Roe v. Wade. The Court's decision coincides with NARAL Pro-Choice America's release of its 15th annual edition of Who Decides? The Status of Women’s Reproductive Rights in the United States. The comprehensive report summarizes the status of women’s access to reproductive healthcare nationwide and state-by-state and gives the country a grade of D-.

"The Ayotte case is an example of how lawmakers at the state and federal levels are continuing to exploit every opportunity to take away our reproductive freedom – even while Roe v. Wade stands. Today, we are issuing our 15th annual report summarizing women's access to healthcare nationwide and exposing the persistent threat facing reproductive freedom across the 50 states.

"While it is certainly heartening that the Court did not use this case to overturn specific precedents that protect women's health, this decision does mark a departure from prior cases. In the past, abortion restrictions that did not include protection for women's health would have been struck down in their entirety. After today's decision, that is no longer the case.

"We may not know the full impact of this decision on the lives of American women for years to come. We do know that this decision could be a green light to anti-choice legislators to enact laws that endanger women's health with an assurance lawmakers did not previously have: That for women and their doctors these restrictions could remain largely enforceable.

"The Court's decision in Ayotte will not prevent anti-choice politicians from pursuing additional opportunities to dismantle women's access to reproductive healthcare," Keenan said.

Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032