PPNYC Condemns Supreme Court Decision Upholding First-Ever Federal Ban on an Abortion Method
New York (April 18, 2007) – Planned Parenthood today condemned the Supreme Court’s decision in Gonzalez v. Carhart, the chilling first-ever federal ban on an abortion method without an exception for women’s health. “The American public should be absolutely outraged by this unprecedented and dangerous intrusion into the private relationship between a woman and her doctor,” said Joan Malin, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of New York City. "Today five men with a gavel – two of whom were handpicked by George W. Bush – decided that they know more about medicine than do doctors. We have never before seen such a politically motivated and unwarranted invasion into the private relationship between a woman and her doctor.”
In 2003 President George W. Bush signed the Federal Abortion Ban into law. This ban, which outlaws some of the safest abortions as early as 12 to 15 weeks with no provision to protect a woman’s health, was immediately challenged by Planned Parenthood and struck down by six separate federal courts, all of which agreed that it unconstitutionally failed to protect women's health. The Bush administration pursued the ban to the Supreme Court where it was heard on November 8, 2006 by the new composition of the Court, including Bush's two handpicked appointees. Today, the Bush Court shockingly upheld this ban, outlawing a safe, common abortion method even when a woman’s health is in jeopardy.This stunning decision, which defies both common sense and established law, firmly places politicians and the Supreme Court into the middle of private health care decisions. It is abundantly clear that the Court has joined the Bush administration and is willing to support laws that interfere with medical decisions even when they jeopardize a woman’s health.
"Planned Parenthood will comply with the law,” stated Joan Malin. “But our doors are not closed. Abortion is still safe and it is still legal and we are firmly committed to providing health services, including abortion, without interruption. We are here today and I pledge my word that we will be here tomorrow.”
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