Hochul Pledges $35M To Abortion Providers: 'We Will Not Go Backward'

LONG ISLAND, NY — After news broke recently regarding the possible overturning of the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that allows women access to abortion, Gov. Kathy Hochul pledged Tuesday to provide $35 million to support abortion providers.

A leaked draft majority opinion to Politico suggests the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn the ruling — women's access to abortion will depend on where they live.

Politico reported that it had obtained the draft majority opinion written by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, striking down Roe as well as Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the case that affirmed a woman's right to abortion.

Hochul made her announcement Tuesday. "To truly ensure that anyone seeking an abortion in New York has access to them, we have to ensure that the providers have the resources and the capacity to accommodate all patients who walk through their doors."

She added: "We refuse to go backwards. We have fought too long and hard for this access and for these rights. . . We're not backing down, and will not stand idly by when rights of women across the entire nation are destroyed."

Hochul directed the Department of Health to create a $25 million abortion provider support fund to both expand capacity and ensure access for patients seeking abortion care in New York.

With an eye toward safety for providers and patients, she also announced $10 million for reproductive health care centers to access security grants through the Division of Criminal Justice Services.

Speaking on the news that the ruling could be overturned, Hochul said she was "horrified. . .It is just absolutely unconscionable to fathom what the majority of the Supreme Court is willing to do to something we have taken for granted and relied upon for half a century."

To ensure that anyone who seeks an abortion in New York has access, providers need resources, she said.

"We have fought too long and hard for this access and for these rights. And New York has always led the way when it comes to ensuring these kind of rights," Hochul said. "We'd like to think we've come a long way, but I feel we're going backwards and not forward in this country."

In 2019, New York state law codified the rights within Roe v. Wade.

"And earlier this past month, we made sure that our budget reflected those same values, and said that insurance companies must cover abortion services as well," Hochul said.

Looking ahead, Hochul said regulations will be examined and laws enforce. Hochul also called on the federal government to not just codify Roe v. Wade but repeal the Hyde Amendment so support can go to women nationwide "to receive something that we consider a basic human right."