WISCONSIN — Wisconsin lawmakers react to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The following are statements released in response to the decision:
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R):
“Today is a victory for life and for those who have fought for decades to protect the unborn. For almost fifty years the decision of nine unelected Justices have prevented a democratically derived consensus on the profound moral issue of abortion to be formed. This decision will now allow that democratic process to unfold in each state to determine at what point does society have the responsibility to protect life. Hopefully, the debate will be conducted with sincerity, compassion, and respect for the broad range of views that people hold.”
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D):
“An activist majority of the Supreme Court has overturned Roe and nearly 50 years of precedent, taking away the constitutional rights of American women to make their own personal choices about their body, their health, and their family. Republicans have taken Wisconsin women back to 1849 and it is Republicans who want to keep us there with support for having politicians interfere in the freedoms of women who will now have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers have had for decades. I ask people to join this fight with their voices and their votes because we will not be taken back, we will move forward.”
U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-6th District):
“The Supreme Court made the correct and much-needed decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Legality of abortions is now turned back to the states. It is important for America to remember, when ultrasounds were practically unheardof, 47 states had made abortion illegal. Now, with accurate ultrasounds, it is clear to all Americans that unborn children are human beings. We will see where the public and churches stand. Over the years, millions of children have had their dreams stolen before seeing the light of the day. But today marks a brighter future for the hearts and minds of unborn children, women, and families. I commend the six Justices who voted to overturn Roe for having the courage to base their decision on sound legal principles rather than a fashionable line of thinking that rules academia, Hollywood, and the mainstream media.”
Gov. Tony Evers (D):
“This is an unfathomably grim day for our state and our country. I am heartbroken—for the millions of Wisconsinites and Americans the U.S. Supreme Court has abandoned and for our country and our democratic institutions. This is an absolutely disastrous and unconscionable decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the consequences of which I hoped to never see again in my lifetime. I know many across our state and nation are scared—worried about their own health and about the health and safety of their family members, friends, and neighbors, who could very soon see the ability to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions stripped from them. My heart breaks for them, I grieve for them, and I pray for their strength and courage in the days ahead.
“Our work to do the right thing for the people of this state must continue. We will fight this decision in every way we can with every power we have. As people in Wisconsin and across our country make their voices heard in the days and months ahead, we will do so peacefully and without violence. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again today: I will never stop fighting to make sure that every single Wisconsinite has the right to consult their family, their faith, and their doctor to make the reproductive healthcare decision that is right for them, and without interference from politicians or members of the Supreme Court who don’t know anything about their life circumstances, values, or responsibilities.”
State Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton):
“Since the time of our state’s founding, Wisconsin has been a pro-life state. This decision to reverse Roe and Casey and return the issue of abortion to the states is exactly how our founding fathers envisioned these questions to be handled. Today we celebrate the thousands of babies that will be saved because the state’s existing statute is once again the law of the land. The Pro-Life movement must redouble our efforts, to help pregnant mothers in crisis with the services they need. We must streamline the state’s adoption laws to make adopting a child a smoother, less stressful, and faster process. We must ensure that crisis pregnancy centers have the tools and resources they need to counsel pregnant mothers in need. This is most certainly a victory for the most vulnerable, but our work to protect life must not end here.”
State Rep. John Macco (R-Ledgeview):
“Today, we officially received the Supreme Court of the United States’ decision on the Dobbs v Jackson case which has overruled Roe and Casey. I applaud the court’s decision which will save millions of innocent lives and return this issue back to the states. This is a huge victory for life and I am proud to stand on the side of the unborn.”
“In Wisconsin, our laws will protect our most vulnerable, but also provides an exception in circumstances where the mother’s life is in danger. Each state now has the ability to craft legislation for their constituency to protect the right to life for both the unborn and mothers.”
