Statement by Rob Menendez on U.S. Supreme Court Decision Overturning Roe v. Wade

“While today’s decision by the Supreme Court was expected, it does not dull the disappointment nor concern that I, like so many Americans, have for our country and for the reproductive choices of all Americans. Let’s be extremely clear: the Court’s decision represents the theft of a right that women have had for half a century to bodily autonomy and the right to make decisions about their own lives and futures.

“Today’s ruling will not prevent abortions from occurring in states that ban them, but will prevent access to safe abortions by licensed providers. Instead of providing women with greater access to healthcare and reproductive choice, too many women in our country will be forced between carrying a pregnancy to full term or seeking alternatives that put their health at risk. We cannot – and must not – accept that reality for those who live in states with repressive reproductive laws, especially since the decision will disproportionately impact communities of color and those with limited economic means.

While in New Jersey Governor Murphy and the Legislature have provided women the security and safety they are owed by codifying the right to choose earlier this year, it is clear that we will need to fight harder than we ever have before to do the same on the national level. The House and Senate must act urgently to pass legislation to ensure that abortions remain accessible to those seeking them across our country- and, if I am fortunate enough to be elected, I pledge to put all my efforts into this fight.

In our strive towards a fairer, more equitable future, today’s decision by a conservative, unelected, hypocritical majority of the Supreme Court is a devastating step backwards and one that we cannot – and will not – stand for. I pledge to be in this fight for however long it takes to ensure women once again have the reproductive freedoms they so rightly deserve. We cannot – and will not – accept anything less.