MADISON –Following the publication of a draft U.S. Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade, Representative Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) issued the following statement in response:
“We must protect abortion in Wisconsin. We’re not backing down. All people deserve access to reproductive healthcare when they need it, on a timeline that works for them, and in a community and an environment they trust and feel safe in.
This leak proves what we have known for a long time- that the conservatives on the Supreme Court continues to serve the extremists and put politics ahead of providing safe reproductive healthcare. They care more about the leak of the drafted opinion itself, rather than its alarming contents.
Nonetheless, I am thankful that currently, for the time being, abortion is still legal in the United States. I am thankful for the hard work and advocacy accomplished by the many women before me that made his happen. However, should SCOTUS adopt this drafted opinion, Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban from 1849 would take effect, criminalizing all abortions in Wisconsin.
We know criminalizing abortion does not work. We know more than 70% of Wisconsinites disagree with overturning Roe. We know this is a personal choice and should not be dictated by politicians. We know this drafted opinion is the wrong decision.
The severity of this situation calls for action, at all levels, to codify bodily autonomy, privacy, and access to reproductive healthcare in law. We must act now and we must not go backwards.”
