“Roe v. Wade has been overturned, and the Supreme Court has wrongly ruled that the Constitution does not protect the right to abortion. I watched with horror a few weeks ago when a draft of this opinion leaked. The final text does nothing to reassure me that this Court is interested in protecting women’s ability to participate in public life or preserving the veneer of its own integrity. We must prepare to relitigate every struggle that has allowed women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community to engage more fully and equally in American life. This is a crisis, and leaders at every level must act like it.
I entered public life to lift up the voices of my neighbors. I am not going to stop now, and I will not be deterred from using every tool at the Council’s disposal to keep reproductive healthcare safe, legal, and legally protected in the District.
The tools available to us are about to become stronger. I recently introduced the Human Rights Sanctuary Amendment Act of 2022 to prevent the District from cooperating with out-of-state investigations seeking to impose criminal or civil liability on people who receive care in the District. That bill is scheduled for a hearing on July 14th, and bills from Councilmembers Henderson and Robert White that would protect medical abortion, require insurance coverage for abortion without cost sharing, and protect practitioners’ licenses and insurance from attack are also under consideration.
Critically, my legislation protects the use of contraception and protects the ability of people to love, marry, and live with whom they choose. Justice Thomas made clear today that the Court seeks to overturn the rights to same-sex marriage, contraception, and freedom from prosecution under laws criminalizing consensual sexual conduct. Any future responses must protect those freedoms as well.
With thirteen members strongly committed to collaboration and reproductive freedom, the Council will work together to protect District residents’ rights. While we work to respond, however, it will be more important than ever to engage in rest, self-care, and self-love, and to take care of our neighbors who are hurting in the wake of this decision. We must find ways to live in hope and to prepare for the struggles to come.
Abortion care is still legal in the District. It is still protected under District law. Do not allow this decision to deter you from getting the care you need. You are safe here. And people are fighting to keep you safe here.”