Avelar Urges SCOTUS to Protect Women’s Access to Reproductive Care

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. — State Rep. Dee Avelar, D-Bolingbrook, is continuing her fight for the right to choose by calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to preserve access to a common medication used to provide reproductive healthcare. 

“When the high court overturned Roe v. Wade, the conservatives justified their ruling as ‘returning abortion to the states.’ And yet, here we are just over a year later, with conservative federal judges trying to impose a federal mandate that does the polar opposite of what Roe did,” Avelar said. “If the conservative justices were being at all sincere when they talked about letting states decide, then they will protect women’s access to medication abortion.”

Avelar joined hundreds of legislators from across the country in signing an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to defend access to mifepristone, a medication safely used for years to end a pregnancy and treat miscarriage. An anti-choice front group has been working in the courts to restrict access to the medication.

The amicus brief was signed by state legislators from 49 states. Illinois had more signatories than any other state, with 36 state Representatives and 12 state Senators signing on.

“As we continue to see more and more attempts by far-right extremists to take women’s rights away, it’s only going to get more important for us to be active and vocal in opposition,” Avelar said. “The conservative justices have already shown that they aren’t the allies that women need, but we can hope that they’ll at least remain consistent with their own narrative.”

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