Planned Parenthood Responds to Supreme Court Oral Arguments on Texas Abortion Ban

WASHINGTON – Today, Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of America, released the following statement in response to Supreme Court oral arguments in two challenges to S.B. 8, Texas’s abortion ban.

“Today, patients and providers from Texas finally had their day in court, and we are grateful for the brilliant lawyers from the Center of Reproductive Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice who made the case against S.B. 8 on their behalf. But let me be clear: It never should have come to this.

“Despite agreeing to hear the challenges to this unconstitutional law, it’s devastating that the court has allowed S.B. 8 to go into effect and remain in effect for over two months. As Justice Kagan pointed out, the harm of the law is not hypothetical — it’s had a chilling effect that has all but eliminated Texans’ access to abortions after the earliest stages of pregnancy. In real time, thousands of Texans are either being forced to travel hundreds of miles outside of their communities and across state lines to access basic health care. Or they are being forced to carry pregnancies to term. This is unconscionable. The state of Texas has gone too far, and S.B. 8 has gone on for too long — harming patients in Texas with each passing day.

“If S.B. 8 is allowed to stand, access to abortion is not the only freedom at risk. As Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar made clear, every constitutional right we have could be threatened by similar citizen-enforcement schemes.

"The Supreme Court must move swiftly to allow this law to be blocked and Texans’ constitutional rights restored.”

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect, and without judgment, striving to create equitable access to health care. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable education and information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives. Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports the independently incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates operating health centers across the U.S.