Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Applauds Biden Administration’s Nomination of Attorney Committed to Upholding Reproductive Freedom, Julie Rikelman, to 1st Circuit Court
For Immediate Release: Friday, July 29, 2022
Contact: [email protected]
NARAL Pro-Choice America Applauds Biden Administration’s Nomination of Attorney Committed to Upholding Reproductive Freedom, Julie Rikelman, to 1st Circuit Court
Washington, DC — Today, President Biden announced the nomination of Julie Rikelman to serve on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Rickelman represented Mississippi’s last abortion clinic before the U.S. Supreme Court, challenging the state’s anti-choice ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case.
NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju released the following statement in response:
“We commend the Biden administration on this important nomination, which could not come at a more important time in the fight for reproductive freedom. Having experts with demonstrable records of standing up for abortion rights like Julie Rikelman in the judicial branch will serve as a critical defense against future attacks on our rights. We look forward to continuing our work with the administration to further the fight for reproductive freedom.”
These actions come in the aftermath of the anti-choice supermajority on the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This cruel decision opened the door for extremist state lawmakers to enforce extreme bans on abortion. Roughly half of the states in the country are at risk of banning abortion, and thus far, 13 states have bans in place and many more are rushing to do the same. The people hurt most by these bans and restrictions are those who already face barriers to accessing abortion care—including women; Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; those working to make ends meet; the LGBTQ+ community; immigrants; young people; those living in rural communities; and people with disabilities.
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For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for every body. NARAL is powered by its 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.