CHICAGO Planned Parenthood Illinois Action ( PPIA ) denounces Congressman Dan Lipinski for signing an amicus brief in support of the Louisiana anti-abortion law that is before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2020. Lipinski joined 200 Republican congressmen, and one other Democrat, in signing the brief in support of Louisiana restrictive law which could overturn Roe v. Wade.
"This case could decide the future of abortion access in this country and we will not not silently stand by and let Congressman Lipinski pledge his support for taking away Illinois woman's right to a safe and legal abortion," said Brigid Leahy, Senior Director of Public Policy, PPIA. " We've seen 26 abortion bans pass in 2019, and we're already seeing people having to cross state lines or wait long times just to access basic health care. If the Supreme Court overturns or severely restricts access to abortion, it could pave the way for states to effectively ban abortion for over 25 million people of reproductive age."
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to review Louisiana's Act 620, an abortion restriction nearly identical to one of the Texas restrictions struck down by the Supreme Court in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt three years ago.
In Whole Woman's Health, the Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling that made clear that medically unnecessary abortion restrictions, such as Texas's requirement of local hospital admitting privileges, imposed an undue burden on women seeking to access health care, and therefore should not be allowed to stand. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, which heard the nearly identical Texas law, blatantly disregarded Supreme Court precedent when it upheld Louisiana's abortion restriction in September 2018. If this law is allowed to take effect, Louisiana could become the seventh state to have only one abortion provider.
By granting review in this case, the Supreme Court is agreeing to reconsider its own 2016 decision in Whole Woman's Health and if the court allows this Louisiana law to stand, it will be breaking with its own precedent and dismantling constitutional protections to abortion access.
From a press release
Planned Parenthood Illinois Action ( PPIA ) is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood of Illinois ( PPIL ). For more information, visit www.ppiaction.org .