CFC Commends the Court’s Common Sense Decision to Vacate Restrictive Louisiana Law

Washington, DC— Catholics for Choice is relieved to see the common sense decision announced today by the US Supreme Court in June Medical v Russo, upholding its own 2016 landmark decision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt. Today, the Court affirmed individual moral agency and access to essential, time-sensitive abortion care for all women, including the most vulnerable.

Catholics for Choice was proud to help lead a coalition of 38 Christian, Jewish, Muslim and interdenominational organizations in a friend-of-the-court brief that highlighted our shared belief regarding an individual’s right to make moral choices based on her own conscience when deciding on  reproductive healthcare options. As Catholics, we are called by our faith to follow our conscience in all matters of moral decision-making and to respect another’s right to do the same. When a person exercises their moral agency to seek abortion services, they should be met with affordable, accessible and compassionate care.

Today’s decision rejected anti-abortion efforts to create obstacles for providers and patients in Louisiana, recognizing that such tactics unduly burden women’s ability to exercise their right to choose.

For decades, ultraconservative state policymakers have been working overtime at the bidding of allies like the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to destroy access to abortion, state by state, law by law. The Louisiana law vacated by today’s decision was one more in a sustained and coordinated effort to overturn Roe v. Wade and make abortion inaccessible to everyone. Despite what the USCCB would like policymakers to believe, the vast majority of Catholics in the United States support access to reproductive healthcare services for those who need them. Six in 10 Catholic voters believe abortion can be a moral choice, and a majority of Catholic voters support access to insurance coverage for abortion—whether through private or government-run plans.

While we commend the Court for today’s decision, the fight to protect abortion rights is far from over. Catholics for Choice remains vigilant in our mission to protect every individual’s right to make their own conscience-based decisions and calls upon Congress to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) ensuring access to reproductive health for all who need it no matter their insurance, their income or their zip code.