Congresswoman Susie Lee Statement on Arizona Supreme Court’s Draconian Abortion Ban
Decision to Revive 160-Year-Old Law Likely to Create Influx of Women Seeking Care in Nevada
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) released the following statement in response to the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to revive an 1864 law making it a felony punishable by two to five years in prison for anyone who performs or helps a woman obtain an abortion:
“This devastating decision is yet another example of anti-choice extremists' plan to ban abortion nationwide. I'm heartbroken for Arizona women whose fundamental freedom to make decisions about their own bodies has been stripped away from them overnight.
“This decision will not prevent abortions. It will only force women seeking reproductive care in anti-choice states to flee their homes for freer states like Nevada, where our clinics are already overwhelmed. Planned Parenthood clinics in Las Vegas have seen a 37 percent increase in out-of-state patients while clinics across the West have seen increased wait times.
“I'm leading legislation in Congress to help women find and access reproductive care. But until we codify the protections of Roe v. Wade nationwide, these infringements on women’s rights will continue. I won’t rest until every woman has the freedom to make her own healthcare choices.”
###