Congressman Payne Slams Reported SCOTUS Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade

Payne: This Travesty Cannot Be Allowed to Happen – Senate Must Pass Women’s Health Protection Act Now

NEWARK, NJ – Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr., (D-Newark) is releasing the following statement on the Supreme Court’s reported vote to overturn Roe v. Wade:

“This absolute travesty is the direct result of the continued radicalism of the Republican Party and its turn to the far right. Now, women across the country are in jeopardy of falling backwards to a dark past when access to a safe abortion procedure was difficult or impossible. I have always been a proud supporter of a woman’s right to choose, because I know that we must trust women to make their own healthcare decisions rather than dictating to them.

There is a solution to this urgent problem that must happen now. Last September, I joined Democrats in the House of Representatives in passing the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation that would guarantee the legal right to an abortion nationwide. The U.S. Senate must act now to pass this bill, and if necessary Senate leaders must abolish the filibuster to allow an up or down vote to be held. There is no other action that would rise to the urgency of this moment than doing whatever it takes to pass this bill. The American people are watching, and they are counting on us to act. We must not let them down.”

About Congressman Payne:

A lifelong Newark resident, Congressman Donald Payne, Jr., is a champion for working families, Democratic values, and fighting to provide more opportunities for people in black and brown communities. He’s a devoted husband and father and a former union member with a blue collar background who has an immense respect for the dignity of work and the value of organized labor. A five-term Congressman, he was first elected in 2012 to succeed his late father, the legendary Rep. Donald Payne, Sr., who was the first Black Congressman in state history. Congressman Payne is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials in the powerful House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which has jurisdiction over major infrastructure initiatives including the Gateway Project that are critical to New Jersey’s economy. Congressman Payne co-wrote the House version of President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure act and has supported critical progressive legislation like the Build Back Better plan, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the Equality Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and much more.