On 49th Anniv. of Roe v. Wade, PPHP Calls for Passage of WHPA

On January 22, the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, reproductive rights and access across the country are at risk like never before. With the U.S. Supreme Court considering a case that could overrule our constitutional right to abortion, the days of legal abortion in every state may be numbered.

The right and access to abortion should not depend on your zip code. While New York elected officials are working to expand access to abortion for New Yorkers, this anniversary is a reminder of how fragile this right is across the country. By this summer, the Supreme Court could officially erase nearly 50 years of precedent and overturn the protections that millions rely on to access an abortion. Even though in New York, our leaders are strengthening access to abortion and reproductive health care, there is more work to be done, especially to ensure access for those who face systemic barriers to care – Black and Brown communities, LGBTQ+ people, people in rural areas, and those struggling to make ends meet. Whether or not the Supreme Court explicitly overturns Roe v. Wade, we cannot be complacent. We must continue fighting for proactive measures to protect abortion access across the country, and the U.S. Senate must follow the lead of our New York leaders, take action, and pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, as soon as possible.

Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic (PPHP) provides patients with expert, compassionate abortion care in Westchester, Rockland, and Suffolk counties. As access to safe and legal abortion is threatened in other areas of the country, we will continue to provide care to patients in our communities and those who travel to New York to ensure they have timely access to abortion. PPHP is also using technology and innovation to increase access to abortion by offering medication abortion through our telehealth program.

In December, at oral arguments in a case on a Mississippi abortion ban, it seemed possible that a majority of Supreme Court justices are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade, which established the constitutional right to an abortion. Should that happen, by this summer, politicians in about half of the states may be able to control personal reproductive decisions. Thirty-six million women, nearly half of the women of reproductive age (18-49) in the United States, and more people who can become pregnant, could lose abortion access. 

Last year, in a historic vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Women’s Health Protection Act. WHPA establishes a statutory right to provide and receive abortion care, prohibiting states from implementing abortion bans and restrictions. The U.S. Senate must follow suit and pass WHPA as soon as possible.