Supreme Court strikes down Texas' abortion access law: Reaction from WI lawmakers

"The Supreme Court’s decision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt is a victory for women across America. By striking down politically motivated restrictions that made it nearly impossible for Texans to exercise their full reproductive rights, the Court upheld every woman’s right to safe, legal abortion, no matter where she lives.

I applaud everyone who flooded the Texas Capitol to speak out against these attacks on women’s health, the brave women and men across the country who shared their stories, and the health care providers who fought for their patients and refused to give up.

Our fight is far from over. In Texas and across the country, a woman’s constitutional right to make her own health decisions is under attack. In the first three months of 2016, states introduced more than 400 measures restricting access to abortion. We’ve seen a concerted, persistent attack on women’s health and rights at the federal level. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has said women should be punished for having abortions.  He also pledged to defund Planned Parenthood and appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade.

Today’s decision is a reminder of how much is at stake in this election. We need a President who will defend women’s health and rights and appoint Supreme Court justices who recognize Roe v. Wade as settled law. We must continue to protect access to safe and legal abortion – not just on paper, but in reality."

“The landmark decision today by America’s highest Court to strike down an unconstitutional law in Texas reaffirms that women in Wisconsin and across the country have a constitutional right to make their own health choices and access safe reproductive health care.

Politicians like Governor Walker may think they know better than women and their doctors. They may even think they know better than our Constitution. The fact is they don’t. This judgement from the United States Supreme Court should send a clear message to politicians to stop playing doctor by passing and signing unconstitutional laws that attack a woman’s freedom to make her own personal health decisions without political interference.”

“I am thrilled by today’s Supreme Court ruling in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt. This case is certain to have a significant and positive impact on women throughout the country and I applaud the Court for standing on the side of women. Laws like Texas’ H. B. 2, a measure which made access to abortion care nearly impossible for many women, are simply ideological attempts to take away a woman’s right to make choices about her own body and future.

Without a doubt, this case will affect other states attempting to pass, or that have already passed, Targeted Regulation of Abortion Provider laws (commonly known as ‘TRAP laws’). As we saw with 2013 Wisconsin Act 37, requiring doctors to have admitting privileges to a nearby hospital and subjecting women to intrusive and medically unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds, Wisconsin has not been immune to its share of TRAP laws. In the last year alone, Governor Scott Walker signed two different bills with the goal to defund our state’s Planned Parenthood centers. These health clinics are vital to the well-being of our communities, with many low-income families depending on their life-saving services.

I have long been an opponent of attempts to restrict a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion. I commend the Supreme Court for reversing the decision of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, but our fight is far from over. As we celebrate this judicial victory, we must remain committed to defending our country against further efforts to undermine a woman’s autonomy over her body.”

“This landmark ruling is an enormous victory for women and families in Wisconsin and across the nation. We applaud the Court’s ruling affirming that abortion is a decision that should be between a woman and her doctor and a decision that should be made without politicians interfering. Yet today’s victory does not undo the past five years of damage and restrictions already written into law. No woman or doctor should be punished for receiving or providing essential medical care. We will continue to fight restrictions on safe, legal abortion on behalf of our patients in Wisconsin.

At Planned Parenthood, our top priority is patient safety. As the Court affirmed, these laws do nothing to enhance the health and safety of patients. It’s clear that the intention of these unnecessary restrictions was to put obstacles in the path of women seeking safe, legal abortion care.

For 80 years, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has been providing high-quality, affordable, nonjudgmental care, and will continue to make sure people in our state have access to the health care they deserve — no matter what.”

“The abortion industry unceasingly claims that abortion is health care, yet when states enact common sense laws regulating abortionists as health care providers or abortion centers as health care clinics they cry foul. Clearly, profit trumps women’s health and safety in the abortion movement.

The fact is that abortion kills babies and damages women physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is a total failure for mothers, fathers, families and communities. It is a bloody stain on America and it must end. Pro-Life Wisconsin will continue to pray and work for a day when every child is welcomed and loved as a blessing from God and protected as a person with full legal rights.”

“In effect, the Supreme Court has decided that the abortion industry will continue to reign unchecked as mothers are subjected to subpar conditions, not only in Texas and Wisconsin, but around the country. Despite this disappointing decision, we at Wisconsin Right to Life will continue our work to offer hope to women. The abortion industry peddles death, but we in the pro-life movement offer life.”

“This is a huge victory for women in this country. Right here in Wisconsin we have been dealing with a constant assault on reproductive rights from the Legislature and Governor for the past five years.  It is a relief that the Court has decided to uphold its previous decisions to protect women’s rights from these politically-motivated attacks on women’s health.”

While all of us who work to promote reproductive justice are relieved by today’s decision, we must continue to diligently defend and expand women’s access to reproductive health care,” stated Finger.   “As has been made readily apparent, opponents of abortion care are not going to stop their efforts to erect every possible barrier between women and the reproductive health care that they need.”

"Today the court has put women's health and safety on the back burner for the profits of Planned Parenthood and abortion providers.

I’m disappointed and frustrated with the decision as it disregards the intent of the law, which is similar to what we approved in Wisconsin. The admitting privileges requirement is intended to protect women's health. We must ensure women have access to safe health care no matter where you stand on the issue.

As a pro-life legislator, I will continue to support legislation that protects the life of an unborn child and the health of the mother.”

“This ruling is a victory for women’s health care access and for those working so hard to provide and protect health services.

Unfortunately in Wisconsin we have seen similar types of clearly unconstitutional measures. It is not the place of elected officials to make personal medical decisions for women and families. Republicans across the nation have advanced a zealous overreach of initiatives that restrict reproductive health for women – including here in Wisconsin. Today’s ruling shows the Constitution is clear that attacks eroding access to women's health – like those put forward in Wisconsin – constitute ‘an undue burden on the rights for reproductive health access’.

Health decisions should be left between women and their doctors and families, not politicians. Unfortunately, Wisconsin Republicans have severely eroded health care access at all levels, from refusing BadgerCare funding to consolidating Wisconsin’s Well Woman Program for cancer screening and imposing severe restrictions on reproductive health care.

Republican legislators have shown they are willing to put political talking points and far right-wing ideology ahead of women’s health. I hope this ruling will put an end to the relentless attacks on health care access advanced by Republicans in Wisconsin and across the nation.”

“The Supreme Court has powerfully reaffirmed a woman’s constitutional right to make her own decisions about her health, family, and future, no matter her zip code. Our neighbors – in Wisconsin and across the country – have the freedom to plan when they want to start a family and a right to protect themselves from unintended pregnancies. Draconian laws, like this and others pushed by legislative Republicans across the country, limit health care options and the opportunity for a woman to protect her health.

TRAP laws imposing severe restrictions on women’s health centers and providers of abortion services have only one goal in mind: forcing their targets to close their doors. The U.S. Supreme Court striking down HB2 protects access to critical health care services that provide a range of much-needed support for both women and men.

Wisconsin is all too familiar with similar efforts to restrict reproductive freedom. In fact, just two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court decided to take the Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt case, a federal court overruled the burdensome admitting privileges portion of a law Wisconsin Republicans pushed through in 2013.

The ruling today protects our cornerstone American principle of individual freedom and reaffirms that politicians have no business in private decisions women make about their health care. Accordingly, this ruling reaffirms that political intrusion in such personal decisions is un-American and will not stand.

Those of us who are listening to the public will continue the fight to protect and expand reproductive freedom for all by supporting legislation that respects our rights.”

“The decision of the US Supreme Court to protect a woman’s right to access reproductive health care in Whole Women’s Health v Hellerstedt is essential for our sisters, wives, mothers and daughters. Reproductive health care is basic health care for women. Texas passed laws that place barriers for many women seeking health care which violate the principles of the state and US Constitution. Protecting access to reproductive health care where it is threatened is essential. I am so thankful there are those that continue to work for the basic rights of women in this country.”

“The Supreme Court made the right decision today by ruling in favor of women’s health and women’s rights. In the forty years since Roe v. Wade, women have had the constitutionally protected right to make their own health care decisions and access to a safe and legal abortion.

Since then, Republicans have pursued every opportunity in states across the country to undermine those rights and invade women’s privacy. Like so many other similar anti-abortion measures snaking their way through state legislatures, the Texas law struck down today purports to make women’s reproductive health care safer. In reality, the medically unnecessary, intrusive and dubious regulations it contains are so onerous, expensive or impossible to implement that they force health care clinics to close their doors and turn women away. Texas is home to 5.4 million women of reproductive age. In its first year alone, HB2 forced half of the Texas clinics that provided abortion services to close, leaving some women to travel hundreds of miles for the care they need.

By striking down HB2, the Court has given Texas women and women everywhere a victory in the ongoing fight to protect abortion rights. But we cannot take anything for granted and we must remain vigilant – especially as we head toward Election Day in November. Today’s victory, however, doesn’t change the fact that the American people deserve a fully functioning Supreme Court. Last week the court deadlocked on issues in which the vacant seat on the Court would have made it possible for the independent judicial branch to actually rule on the merits of the case before it. And that took place almost exactly 100 days after President Obama nominated Chief Judge Merrick Garland, who is widely recognized as the most qualified jurist to have ever been nominated to the Supreme Court, with Senate Republicans continuing to block his confirmation and those of dozens of other judges to federal benches.

The ruling also highlights the contrast before voters in this November’s elections. Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president­­, is opposed to abortion rights and even said women who get an abortion should be punished. Democrats will continue to stand up for a women’s right to choose. We are poised to nominate a presidential candidate in July who, unlike Trump, will have the temperament and judgment required to lead from the Oval Office, including to carry out the sacred duty to nominate federal judges. We must elect a Democrat as our next president.”

"A woman’s personal health care decisions should be made by a woman, with her family, her faith and with the counsel of her doctor. Today the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutional right of every woman to make her own health care decisions, a victory that will hopefully impact access right here in Wisconsin.

Forty years after Roe v. Wade, the fight to protect access to safe and legal abortions continues and the stakes this election year could not be higher. We need a president who will defend women's health and rights, filling the Supreme Court vacancy with a justice who will uphold the law. Donald Trump will do just the opposite.

Not only does Trump want to defund Planned Parenthood, he believes women should be "punished" for having an abortion. As a woman and mother of two daughters, I understand how important it is to not allow Donald Trump to undermine today's ruling and the health care of women in Wisconsin and across the country.

The Supreme Court sent a clear message today that Wisconsin Republicans should heed - efforts to restrict and infringe upon a woman's constitutional right to an abortion will be struck down. It's time to end Wisconsin Republicans' efforts to impose Texas-style restrictions on the women of our state."

“This decision protecting the rights of women is a powerful reminder of why courts matter.

Women have the right to safe and legal abortion services and the underhanded attempts by politicians in Texas and here in Wisconsin, like Gov. Walker and his Republican legislative cohorts, to strip away those rights have been ruled to be unconstitutional.

A majority of the the U.S. Supreme Court sent a clear message to politicians that they ought to cease and desist with their attempt to interfere where they have no business. Women ought to be able to make their own healthcare decisions with their families and their health care providers, period.”

“Today, the United States Supreme Court upheld a woman’s constitutional right to make her own healthcare decisions in a powerful and historic win for the reproductive rights movement.

In their ruling, SCOTUS struck down laws claiming to protect women that in reality placed a constitutionally undue burden on access to abortion. The laws struck down in Texas today were not designed to protect women’s health - rather, they were written to shut down clinics and effectively prevent a woman who has decided to have an abortion from actually getting one.

I applaud the SCOTUS decision and reiterate my belief that a woman has sole authority over the decisions she makes about her body. I would also like to congratulate Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and the patients they serve today, as this win comes in no small part because of the efforts of their organization. I stand with PPWI and all the tremendous work they do advocating for a woman’s right to healthcare across our state and our country.

Today marks a win for women’s rights, but this fight isn’t over yet. Rather than continue to be divided by health inequities, we need to work to protect and expand ‪‎reproductive freedom until they are a reality for all.”

“The Court’s ruling today is an incredible victory for women’s reproductive rights and a setback to the Republicans’ unrelenting war on women.  The now-unconstitutional provisions of this Texas law would have required physicians who provide abortion services to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic, and would have also imposed regulations requiring clinics that provide abortions to become ambulatory surgical centers.  Medical experts say that these two provisions would provide no medical value and will actually harm women by delaying access to medical care.

HB 2 had already resulted in closing more than half of Texas’s abortion clinics.  Anti-choice zealots want to return to the pre-Roe v. Wade days, when millions of women were killed or debilitated after accessing abortions without proper medical procedures.  Knowing about the dire consequences that could have resulted from this law being upheld, it’s clear that this law wasn’t about protecting women’s health. In fact, it actually served as a warning to women to not engage in sexual activity anti-choicers consider immoral, while forcing them to carry any resulting pregnancy to term as a twisted form of punishment.  This law was about controlling women, not helping them, and I’m gratified the U.S. Supreme Court has put an end to it.”