Murkowski Reacts to Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court released its decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, to overturn Roe v. Wade, placing the responsibility on states to set their own abortion laws:
“Today the Supreme Court went against 50 years of precedent in choosing to overturn Roe v. Wade. The rights under Roe that many women have relied on for decades—most notably a woman’s right to choose—are now gone or threatened in many states.
“Alaskan courts have interpreted abortion rights as protected under our State Constitution, but with this decision, women in other parts of the country will face a different reality that limits their health decisions, even in extreme circumstances.
“In the wake of this ruling, it is up to Congress to respond. I introduced legislation in February to protect women’s reproductive rights as provided in Roe, and I am continuing to work with a broader group to restore women’s freedom to control their own health decisions wherever they live. Legislation to accomplish that must be a priority.”
Background: Senator Murkowski supports women’s reproductive freedoms, including the right to an abortion up to fetal viability, which was established by Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and believes in an individual’s liberty to make choices about their own health. Senator Murkowski believes those protections should be written into federal law and as a result, introduced the Reproductive Choice Act in February 2022. Her bill would codify the standards set in Roe and Casey and assure they continue to be the law of the land.
