WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday reiterated his support for a constitutional right to abortion and urged the election of more lawmakers who support abortion rights in response to a report that the Supreme Court is poised to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
“I believe that a woman’s right to choose is fundamental, Roe has been the law of the land for almost fifty years, and basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House.
Politico published on Monday night what it said was a draft opinion indicating the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade, which established a constitutional right to abortion nearly 50 years ago. Biden acknowledged that he did not know whether the draft is authentic or reflects the final decision of the Court.
Biden said his administration would be prepared to respond should the court overturn Roe, a possibility Democrats have been preparing for in recent months.
“We will be ready when any ruling is issued,” Biden said.
In anticipation of a ruling by the court, and following a Texas law that heavily restricts abortions, Biden said he has already directed his Gender Policy Council and White House Counsel’s Office to “prepare options for an Administration response to the continued attack on abortion and reproductive rights.”
Biden noted that his administration argued in defense of Roe before the Supreme Court, saying the decision was based on “a long line of precedent recognizing ‘the Fourteenth Amendment’s concept of personal liberty’… against government interference with intensely personal decisions.”
The president also urged the election of more members of Congress who support the right to an abortion, as the Senate currently lacks enough votes to pass legislation protecting abortion access.
“If the Court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation’s elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman’s right to choose,” Biden said. “And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November. At the federal level, we will need more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, which I will work to pass and sign into law.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
