Shaheen Releases Statement Ahead of 50th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Decision
(Manchester, NH) — U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement ahead of the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade – on January 22nd – which was overturned last year by the U.S. Supreme Court:
“This year, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade will be especially gutting for many Americans. Never before have we marked this anniversary when this decision – and the fundamental freedoms for women it ushered in – are no longer the law of the land. Reproductive freedom is intrinsically tied to women’s ability to shape their own futures – from deciding when to start a family to participating in the workforce,” said Shaheen.
She continued: “As we operate within the confines of these new restrictive laws, I want New Hampshire women to know that this fight isn’t over. I will never stop fighting for comprehensive reproductive health care. Republican assaults on our freedom and health – both in Washington and in Concord – won’t go unchecked. I am prepared to use every tool possible to protect access to care and ensure the decision on if, when and how to start a family remains in the hands of women. In the devastating wake of Roe’s reversal, I will leave no stone unturned in defending women’s fundamental freedoms.”
Senator Shaheen is an unrelenting advocate for women’s reproductive rights. Shaheen has long sounded the alarm about what would be at stake for women’s freedoms and reproductive health in New Hampshire if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Shaheen previously held a press conference with the New Hampshire delegation and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England to discuss what’s at stake for women’s freedoms and reproductive health in New Hampshire around the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, and she spoke on the Senate floor to urge lawmakers to vote in favor of legislation that would codify Roe. Last March, Shaheen joined the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra in Manchester for a meeting with New Hampshire family planning providers amid continued attacks from State and congressional Republicans. For years, Shaheen has fought to expand coverage of women’s preventative care, including through her legislation to reduce the cost of contraception for servicewomen and dependents in military families. A senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in 2013, Shaheen included an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which expanded access to abortion care for service women to bring the Department of Defense to parity with other Federal agencies. Shaheen also penned an op-ed for the Union Leader underscoring the threats to women’s freedoms and rights if Roe is overturned. It can be read in full here.
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