Philly-Area Leaders React To Roe V Wade Being Overturned

PHILADELPHIA — Lawmakers and leaders in the Philadelphia area are reacting to the news that the United States Supreme Court's overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision, paving the way for states to make abortion illegal.

Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-5th District) said the decision will "have a devastating impact across our country."

"The fall of Roe makes government-mandated pregnancy a reality, and the policy implications of states banning abortions or severely restricting access in the wake of this decision do not stop there," she said in a statement. "If the state can force someone to carry a pregnancy to term and give birth, where does government control over each of us and our bodies end?"

Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-2nd District) on Twitter said "the United States just took a major and tragic step backwards" with the decision.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said he is deeply disappointed at the decision.

"Today is a staggering setback and this decision sadly paves the way for even more attacks on our constitutional rights," he said in a statement. "Abortion is healthcare. It is wrong to force someone to remain pregnant when it’s not their choice, when it’s not the right time, or when it’s dangerous to their health or safety — a sad and dire reality for many."

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health decried the decision Friday, saying the court "has stepped squarely between patient and doctor with today’s decision, denying people who can become pregnant protections for their autonomy over their own bodies and their own healthcare decisions. "

"I am shocked and appalled at this decision, and about the Court’s disregard for the consequences of welcoming politics into the exam room," Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole said. "Women and people who can get pregnant have a right to autonomy over what happens to their bodies. Now many are facing a future in which their right to control their own healthcare decisions is at risk of being stripped away. While we call on policy makers to protect those rights and to ensure that all women have access to the healthcare services they need, including those to prevent and treat unplanned pregnancies, it is critical that everyone understand that abortion is still safe and legal in Philadelphia."

Philadelphia City Councilman Richard Gilmore said Friday's decision "marks a solemn day in history for women’s reproductive rights in America."

"I am extremely saddened by the United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade," he said. "While the Roe decision alone has been far from enough to guarantee equitable reproductive health access to all, it has been a crucial safeguard and a foundation on which many organizations and health care practices have been able to provide Americans with the compassionate, timely, safe, and affordable reproductive care they need, want, and deserve."

Conversely, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia lauded the decision in a statement Friday.

"I am grateful to the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States for their willingness to hear Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and for their opinion, which affirms the deep value inherent to every human life," Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez said.

While he supports the decision, he said being pro-life means caring for everyone accordingly.

"In addition to being strong advocates for the unborn, this responsibility extends to caring for the hungry, the poor, the sick, the immigrant, the elderly, the oppressed, and any of our brothers and sisters who are marginalized," he said.