President Biden on Friday said he is “very concerned” that the U.S. Supreme Court let a Texas abortion law remain in effect pending legal challenges.
He said that leaving in place the law, known as SB 8, which bans abortions after six months of pregnancy and lawsuits against people who perform abortions, puts women across the country at risk of losing their right to choose.
“I am very concerned by the Supreme Court’s decision to allow SB 8 to remain in effect in light of the significant consequences that law has for women in Texas and around the country, and for the rule of law,” Mr. Biden said. “As I have made clear from Day One, I am deeply committed to the constitutional right recognized in Roe v. Wade nearly five decades ago.”
The president noted that Texas isn’t the only state that has passed strict abortion laws, saying it shows much more work needs to be done to protect abortion rights. He called on Congress to pass legislation that would codify abortion as a constitutional right.
“I will continue to work with Congress to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act. We have more work to do, but I will always stand with women to protect and defend their long-recognized, constitutional right under Roe v. Wade,” he said.
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that a lawsuit filed by abortion providers against Texas over the law may proceed despite legal arguments from Texas that lawsuits could not be filed against the law until it was enforced.
The court also dismissed a lawsuit by the Justice Department, meaning only private lawsuits against the law can go forward.
