Chicago —— On the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, Gov. JB Pritzker released the following statement:
"Today marks the 51st anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that for five decades protected a woman's fundamental right to make her own healthcare decisions. Today also marks 577 days since those freedoms were cruelly ripped away by the conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court.
"Because of the extreme anti-choice agenda pushed by Republicans, one in three women lives in a state where their right to choose is severely restricted or even nonexistent. The consequences are brutally apparent - bans on abortions for victims of rape and incest, women forced to flee their home state for lifesaving procedures, and doctors facing criminal charges for providing critical care.
"This reality cannot be allowed to stand. The far-right's agenda forced upon Americans is despicable. It is up to us to fight back. As governor, I've made sure that Illinois is an oasis for reproductive rights for both women in-state and those traveling to us for care. But we know the work can't stop there. That's why I am committed to ensuring those fundamental protections no longer end at our borders. Because women, not politicians, deserve the freedom to make their own healthcare decisions."