Yang Rohr Responds to Overturning of Roe v. Wade

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, issued the following statement in response to the overturning of the landmark reproductive rights Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade:

“The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which secured rights to abortions for so many women for so long, is unacceptable. Millions of women across the country now face choices they likely hoped never to have to make: whether to carry a pregnancy to term–often jeopardizing their health and wellbeing–or break the law and have an abortion in conditions that may be unsafe. The decision to overturn Roe forces people to ask themselves that terrifying question.

“These are not hypothetical scenarios. Many residents in the 41st district have shared with me heartbreaking stories of how restricted access to reproductive health and abortion services intensified the already traumatic events they were going through. These people are not strangers; they are your neighbors, friends and family members.

“I am proud and thankful for all the work we have done in Illinois in past years to secure the right to an abortion. When the Reproductive Health Act passed and when we passed laws to protect doctors performing abortions, we warned of this exact situation.

“The unfortunate reality we have to grapple with is that Trump’s appointment of three far right activist judges sent the court lurching in an extreme direction that is proving wildly out of touch with most Americans, openly hostile towards women and apparently intent on controlling our bodies in whatever way they can. After years of preparation, that is a reality Illinois has to face. The fight to protect bodily autonomy for all people is ramping up now, and I am prepared to work tirelessly to protect that right. I know many of my fellow legislators, Governor Pritzker and millions of Illinoisans will join me in this fight.”