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Statement in response to Supreme Court oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health

For Immediate Release: Dec. 1, 2021 (Updated: Dec. 1, 2021, noon)


Media Contact:
Mary Jane Maharry
[email protected]

Statement attributed to Jennifer Welch, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Illinois:

The eyes of the nation are watching the Supreme Court today as it hears oral arguments in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health, the unconstitutional 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi that could decide the fundamental right to abortion for generations to come. SCOTUS has indicated it is prepared to ignore 50 years of settled law and unravel the right to an abortion currently guaranteed by Roe vs. Wade. If that happens, 26 states could ban abortion—including every state that borders Illinois—disproportionately affecting patients who already face immense barriers to health care, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, people in rural areas, young people, immigrants, and people with low incomes.

Planned Parenthood of Illinois has seen this storm gathering momentum in recent years, with harsher abortion restrictions enacted nationwide, defunding of essential community health centers and programs, and stacked federal courts to ensure these policies stay in place.  We can not afford to be complacent and rely on the courts to protect us while abortion access hangs by a thread. While Roe needs to be defended, we recognize it’s never been enough to guarantee equal access to abortion for everyone.

That’s why we are fighting with everything we have to ensure we can care for more patients than ever before. Abortion continues to be legal in Illinois and our doors are open. We remain steadfast in our commitment to unapologetically provide abortion care to our patients, no matter their zip code, no matter what.

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