Democratic Mayors Association Statement on the Supreme Court’s Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Democratic Mayors Association (DMA) President Mayor Levar M. Stoney issued the following statement in response to the United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade: 

“Today is a grim chapter in our nation’s history, as the United States Supreme Court has wrongly decided to overturn a landmark decision that has preserved millions of Americans’ reproductive rights and privacy. This callous decision walks back nearly 50 years of progress and the tireless efforts of advocates who fought to protect a woman’s right to choose. 

Overturning Roe not only increases health risks for millions but will bring about graver social and economic implications for many Americans. Unfortunately, the brunt of this decision will fall on impoverished communities and people of color, who already lack the resources to access necessary reproductive healthcare. Beyond these implications, this decision now opens the door for other fundamental constitutional rights to be at risk of reversal.

Democratic Mayors firmly believe that women deserve the freedom to make decisions about their bodies and that abortion is still a fundamental healthcare right. As local leaders, we have already initiated efforts to protect our communities and their reproductive liberties in the wake of federal inaction. 

Mayors in Austin, Madison, and Tucson have developed resolutions in preparation to protect their residents and ensure they are not criminalized for exercising their reproductive freedoms. In Chicago, the city has set up a fund to support residents and individuals from neighboring states with transportation, lodging, care, and, if necessary, access to safe and legal abortion procedures. Actions like these must continue to protect Americans’ reproductive liberties and well-being.  

This decision is a clear reminder that elections matter and have consequences. Now, more than ever, we must register and turn out to vote for pro-choice candidates who will defend reproductive rights on the ballot this November.”

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About the Democratic Mayors Association

The Democratic Mayors Association (DMA) is comprised of Mayors in cities of 30,000 or more – a diverse coalition of innovative leaders who get things done. DMA mobilizes Mayors on behalf of progressive issues and unites them with a common voice to take on the most critical challenges communities face. To learn more about DMA, visit democraticmayors.org or follow us on Twitter @DemMayors.