Foster Statement on Supreme Court Decision Overturning Roe v. Wade

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Clinic, which overturns Roe v. Wade: the 1973 case that established a constitutionally protected right to an abortion.

"Today, our nation took a devastating step backward. This decision dismantles nearly 50 years of settled judicial precedent for reproductive rights, the right to abortion care, and the right to privacy and autonomy. Now, millions of women will be denied the right to make personal and private health care decisions and, in certain instances, be criminalized for doing so.

"History has been clear: denying access to abortions will not curb their frequency. Instead, millions of women will now be forced to seek abortion care through unsafe means – a practice that's already one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide.

"I'm proud that Illinois has already codified Roe and enshrined access to safe abortion care for generations to come. This decision is the culmination of a decades-long attack by extreme politicians to exert power and control over women's bodily autonomy. Make no mistake: if Republicans take control of Congress, they will make passing a nationwide abortion ban that overrides states like Illinois a priority. Additionally, they could use similar rationale to target basic rights like contraception, in vitro fertilization, and even same-sex marriage.

"An overwhelming majority of Americans support reproductive freedom, including access to safe abortion care. As long as I have a vote in Congress, I will vote to protect reproductive rights and codify the protections of Roe to preserve abortion access for women in every state."