Texas Freedom Network Statement on the 49th Anniversary of Roe Ruling

TFN President: Texans Will Never Stop Fight for Abortion Rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 20, 2022

AUSTIN, Texas – As Saturday nears, marking the 49th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which correctly found that access to abortion is a constitutional right, the future of abortion care is uncertain.

Texas Freedom Network President Val Benavidez issued the following statement about Saturday’s anniversary:

“This year’s anniversary of Roe v. Wade comes at a time when the future of abortion access is at its bleakest. Most abortions in Texas stopped when the draconian SB 8 went into effect last September. At the U.S. Supreme Court, comments by the justices during arguments on a Mississippi anti-abortion law appear to indicate the conservative-leaning court may shamelessly ignore its precedent by gutting or outright overturning Roe later this year. Sadly, we even lost true Texas champion Sarah Weddington – who as a young attorney successfully argued the Roe case – when she passed away in December.

“We can’t sugarcoat it: Abortion rights supporters have lost a lot and may soon lose even more. But I can promise you that this movement has not and will never lose its determination. No matter what happens in the coming months, we know that most Texans, and the majority of the country, oppose abortion bans. But more importantly, people will still need and continue to seek abortion care regardless of what the courts say. It is up to us to do what we can to ensure people receive the health care they need when they need it. And it is up to Congress to do more by answering the call to codify the Roe ruling into law by now passing the Women’s Health Protection Act.

“Abortion is a moral good and should be a protected right. We won’t stop fighting for it at the ballot box, at the state legislature, in Congress and the courts.”

###

The Texas Freedom Network (tfn.org) is a grassroots organization of religious and community leaders and young Texans building an informed and effective movement for equality and social justice.