{"id":40822,"date":"2022-05-03T11:15:24","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T17:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/colorado-lawmakers-speak-out-about-leaked-ruling-to-overturn-roe-v-wade\/"},"modified":"2022-05-03T17:15:24","modified_gmt":"2022-05-03T17:15:24","slug":"colorado-lawmakers-speak-out-about-leaked-ruling-to-overturn-roe-v-wade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/colorado-lawmakers-speak-out-about-leaked-ruling-to-overturn-roe-v-wade\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado lawmakers speak out about leaked ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Demonstrators
Demonstrators protest outside of the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday in Washington. (Jose Luis Magana\/Associated Press)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

As news broke that the U.S. Supreme Court plans to overturn the Roe v. Wade precedent, many Colorado leaders and elected officials reiterated their abortion-rights positions and emphasized that abortion access will be protected in the state.<\/p>\n

\"Polis\"
Polis<\/span>du1-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cWhile states like Texas, Florida and Arizona are engaging in the unwelcome intrusion of government into deeply personal and religious decisions, Colorado remains a refuge where individual rights are respected and where any person has the ability to live, work, thrive and raise a family on their own terms,\u201d Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement. \u201cWhile this is extremely disappointing news, representing a radical shift in American life away from individual freedom, in Colorado, we will continue to fight for and respect the right to make decisions about your own body and medical health.\u201d<\/p>\n

Polis signed the Reproductive Health Equity Act<\/a> into law in April, which codifies a person\u2019s right to reproductive health care such as abortion in Colorado. The law makes sure the choice to have an abortion is legal.<\/p>\n

The Democratic sponsors of that legislation said they were \u201cdevastated, but not surprised\u201d by the court\u2019s expected decision, which was first reported by Politico<\/a> using leaked documents. RHEA was enacted in anticipation of a decision against Roe v. Wade by a conservative-majority court.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis Supreme Court decision, if issued as drafted, will imperil the lives of those seeking an abortion and threaten the health, safety and reproductive freedom of millions of Americans. States across the country will continue to pass restrictive anti-abortion legislation or outright bans, making abortion nearly impossible for some and sending doctors to prison for providing abortion care,\u201d Majority Leader Daneya Esgar of Pueblo, Rep. Meg Froelich of Englewood and Sen. Julie Gonzales of Denver, all Democrats, said in a joint statement.<\/p>\n

The drafted opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, shows that the court plans to overturn the 50-year precedent after deciding on a Mississippi case<\/a> that bans abortions after 15 weeks. Alito wrote that it is \u201ctime to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people\u2019s elected representatives.\u201d Draft opinions are not set in stone.<\/p>\n

\"DeGette\"
DeGette<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Rep. \u200b\u200bDiana DeGette, the Democratic co-chairwoman of the Pro-Choice Caucus, said in a statement that an overturning of Roe would be an \u201cunconscionable rollback of a fundamental right and would have devastating impacts throughout the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone should have the right to make their own personal health care decisions that impact their lives, health and futures. And it is chilling to think this court is unwilling to protect those rights,\u201d DeGette said in a joint statement with the caucus\u2019s other chairwoman, Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the court upends precedent, even more people across the country will soon be forced to travel hundreds of miles out of state or carry pregnancies to term against their will,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, 26 states are certain or likely <\/a>to ban abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which advocates for abortion rights.<\/p>\n

\"Rep.
Rep. Joe Neguse<\/span>du1-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Following the Politico report, Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse tweeted <\/a>that he supports eliminating the Senate filibuster to pass federal abortion access legislation. Democratic Rep. Jason Crow also tweeted <\/a>that the Senate \u201cmust pass the Women\u2019s Health Protection Act without delay to preserve the right to safe, legal abortions.\u201d<\/p>\n

That legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September 2021.<\/p>\n

\"Bennet\"
Bennet<\/span>du1-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Sen. Michael Bennet said in a statement that if the official decision is consistent with the draft, Americans need to fight to protect abortion in state and federal laws.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf this draft opinion reflects the Court\u2019s decision to overturn Roe, it represents an attack on a fundamental constitutional right enshrined in law for half a century. And it would drag us into a past when women faced horrific risks to their lives because they lacked the freedom to make their own health care choices,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Lamborn\"
Lamborn<\/span>du1-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Republican representatives signaled their support for the court\u2019s expected decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the reporting by Politico is accurate, this ruling would be the most consequential pro-life decision in decades. I hope and pray this is true,\u201d Rep. Doug Lamborn tweeted<\/a>. Lamborn has introduced bills during his time in Congress to limit abortion access.<\/p>\n

To read more stories from Colorado Newsline, visit www.coloradonewsline.com<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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