Rep. Bowen Statement on SCOTUS Decision Overturning Roe v. Wade

MILWAUKEE – In response to the United States Supreme Court’s decision this morning in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe v. Wade and removing the right to abortion care, State Rep. David Bowen (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement:

“Today, a group of six unelected Republican extremist judges went against fifty years’ worth of settled precedent – and in some cases their own sworn statements during confirmation hearings –  to overturn Roe v. Wade and the right to abortion care. With one decision, these unelected judges have gone against the will of the majority of the public, upended lives across the country, and stripped fundamental rights away from millions of Americans.

The decision to seek an abortion is one of the most difficult choices any individual or family may be faced with, and those decisions should be made by those individuals, their doctors, and their trusted circles alone. While some in our faith communities may view this decision as a win; it is not. The personal views of some should not affect the rights of everyone else, and as a man of faith, I know that it is not my place to judge the decisions of others nor to restrict their rights.

Today’s decision is a travesty and we already know that it will harm the most marginalized community members among us the most. Our state already has some of the worst disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes in the entire country, and this decision will only exacerbate that. Today’s decision virtually guarantees that more mothers and babies will die in our state.

This decision is a massive setback for rights in our country, and we cannot let our guard down for even a minute – Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a concurring opinion today that proves that these extremists are not done attacking fundamental rights, specifically highlighting the rights to contraception, to same-sex relationships, and to marriage equality as ones that should be ‘reconsidered.’

We cannot let that happen. We must do everything we can to ensure that our hard-won rights remain, and that our children and future generations enjoy as many or more rights than we do today.

Today is a day for grief, for anger, for sadness – we must take care of ourselves and our loved ones, and show empathy and compassion to those among us most impacted by this terrible decision. But tomorrow, we double down on our efforts, we raise our voices, and we continue the fight for a better and more just future.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.