The day that the U.S. Supreme Court abolished American’s right to seek personal medical care–in this case, abortions–I was honored to open a press conference alongside Idaho’s top women leaders. The following is my statement (edited) at the Idaho Capitol:
Today is a somber day. The U.S. Supreme Court rolled back the clock 50 years. Fifty years. Women no longer have the protection of that fundamental right affirmed in 1973 with the decision in Roe. v. Wade: the right to bodily autonomy; the freedom to make intimate and personal choices; the freedom I have known for my entire lifetime.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision today to revoke a woman’s right to make medical choices, in this case to choose to have an abortion, erodes the freedom of every American. This moment shakes up an Idaho political landscape that is dominated by Republican politicians who sacrifice personal freedom for political power.
First, I want to say that the Idaho Democratic Party stands with the women and pregnant people in this state who are scared, confused, and don’t know what to do. Let me be clear – today, you still have the legal right to abortion services. If you need reproductive health care, it is still a protected right in Idaho. Please seek care if you need it, you will not be deprived of care. For now.
In thirty short days, that won’t be the case.
We have to protect and exercise the choices we still have. Today, Republican politicians have taken away our choice to make personal medical decisions—in this case the right to abortion services. But women still have the powerful choice of who to vote for.
A strong majority of Americans, 62 percent, oppose the monumental decision to roll back a right women have relied on for 50 years. This move from a Supreme Court stacked with extreme Republican appointees is a view of freedom that Americans find offensive.
The only freedom Republican politicians will fight for is the freedom to agree with them. When you disagree, they take away that freedom and give it to the government.
In our state, the GOP supermajority has already passed two horrific anti-abortion laws. Senate bill 1365 was passed in 2020, signed by Governor Little, criminalizing abortion 30 days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Your clock starts today. Women only have 30 days from today to govern their own bodies. We have 30 days of bodily autonomy.
The insult does not stop there.
This year the extremist supermajority also passed Senate Bill 1309, criminalizing abortion to any medical provider who provides abortion care. They put a bounty on their heads starting at $20,000. The Texas-style abortion bill allows family members of rapists to sue if the victim sought and received abortion care.
Idaho, it is time to wake up! I am officially sounding the alarm!
It is painful and frightening to know that my daughter, whose profound anger and frustration was captured here by reporters at Friday’s rally, has less freedom than I did growing up. But guess what people, Idaho is about to learn how influential women can be when you target their freedom! In 1990, the Legislature passed the most restrictive abortion law in the entire country. With the nation watching, Gov. Cecil Andrus vetoed the legislation. Members of his own party, as well as those across the aisle, were certain that he sealed a defeat for his fourth run as Governor. That did not happen. In fact, Gov. Andrus won re-election by a wider margin than before and Democrats won big in the Legislature.
In 1990 Idaho women, regardless of political affiliation, voted for candidates who respected them and who pledged to preserve and protect their reproductive freedoms. The same will happen this year in Idaho and across the country.
If we don’t stand up to this attack on our personal freedom, what will be next?
The right to access birth control? Idaho Rep. Brent Crane has already said it out loud – Plan B and IUDs are on the table.
What about our LGBTQ+ community? Will they lose the right to marry who they love?
Is inter-racial marriage going to be challenged?
The time is now for every single Idahoan to stand up and say enough is enough! Our freedoms are not at your disposal. I have a message to the Idaho GOP Supermajority – and I want it to be perfectly understood – in no uncertain terms:
WE WON’T GO BACK!