SAN BERNARDINO, CA — Rep. Pete Aguilar today issued the following statement on the draft Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade:

“I am shocked by the draft Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The right to access abortion care has been the law of the land since 1973 and a strong, bipartisan majority of the American people oppose overturning Roe. The country has not changed and the law has not changed. Right-wing extremists and their allies on the Supreme Court are trying to change the country. Because they cannot do so through legislation, as the founders intended, they want to do it through the courts. This devastating decision, which could criminalize abortion even in cases of rape, incest and when the health of the mother is in jeopardy, would put the lives and safety of countless women at risk.

“There is plenty of blame to go around for the situation we now face. The damage the Trump Administration did to this country will require years to fix, and Senator McConnell’s decision to deny a Supreme Court seat to President Obama further eroded the legitimacy of the nation’s highest court, as did jamming through a Republican-appointed justice only days before a Presidential election.

“The best way forward in the coming days is for Congress to codify Roe v. Wade into law by passing the Women’s Health Protection Act, which the House already passed last year. Democrats hold the White House and majorities in both houses of Congress. We should not be afraid to reform the filibuster to enact legislation that protects our fundamental rights and is supported by a majority of Americans.

“It’s also important to point out that this draft opinion, for the time being, is only a draft. Abortion is still legal in this country. No one should be intimidated or denied access to reproductive health care and every law enforcement agency should uphold the law as it stands right now.”

Rep. Aguilar serves as the Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations and Committee on House Administration.

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