Today, the conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court ended a woman’s right to safe, legal, and accessible abortions, voting 5-4 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to overrule Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, ignoring the dangers to women’s health and 50 years of precedent. The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) has policy—voted on and passed by mayors—urging Congress and states to protect and improve women’s access to safe and comprehensive reproductive healthcare, including abortions. At the USCM Annual Meeting earlier this month, mayors reaffirmed their support by adopting a new resolution. Additionally, mayors have spoken out about how the decision will impact their communities in a new video.
In response to the decision, Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of the USCM, released the following statement:
“The conservative majority of the Court has decided women should end today with one less constitutional right than they had this morning, that government should get a veto over the healthcare decisions of a woman and her doctor, that judges should advance agendas without regard for settled law, that politics comes before health care.
“The consequences of this decision will be felt in cities nationwide, where women will suffer from the loss of access to critical healthcare services, where they face state abortion bans that do not include exemptions for rape or incest. Mayors and their cities will do all that they can to support women’s ability to make their own health care decisions.
“This also cannot be the last word on this matter. The United States Conference of Mayors calls on Members of Congress to swiftly pass legislation to codify a woman’s right to choose, and we urge governors and state legislatures to protect women’s access to healthcare and individual freedoms.”
