America’s Shrinking Access to Abortion
On the first day of its new term, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared its docket of one hot-button social issue by declining to hear seven cases involving same-sex marriage — only to find another highly controversial matter hurtling its way.
That same day, the court received an emergency appeal from the Center for Reproductive Rights on behalf of women’s health-care providers, asking the justices to reinstate an injunction blocking a Texas law that has left no more than eight abortion clinics in the state — down from more than 40 before the law was passed last summer.
It won’t be the last time this case — or one like it — reaches the justices.
Since 2011, state politicians have enacted more than 200 restrictions that make it harder for women to obtain safe, legal abortion care. That’s more restrictions in the past three years than were enacted in the previous decade.
Passed under the pretense of regulating safety standards, the true purpose of these laws is to hollow out Roe v. Wade’s recognition of women’s constitutional right to decide for themselves whether to end a pregnancy, as well as the legal protections afforded by that historic ruling.