Blumenthal Rallies With Advocates Ahead of Supreme Court Arguments in Case Threatening to Roll Back Protections for Abortion Patients & Providers

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), author of the Women’s Health Protection Act, spoke ahead of attending the Supreme Court’s oral arguments for June Medical Services LLC v. Russo. Blumenthal later attended the oral argument for the case, which challenges a Louisiana law that would require every doctor who provides abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within thirty miles of where the abortion is performed – a burdensome, medically unnecessary requirement that has already been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

“Here is a memo to Donald Trump and his appointees to this court: this is what America looks like and America is for reproductive rights,” said Blumenthal at this morning’s Center for Reproductive Rights Supreme Court rally. “I have been in this fight since 45 years ago, I am going to continue in this fight, we are going to win this fight because of that principle: ‘my right, my decision.’”

Video of Blumenthal’s remarks is available here and begins at the 1:16:45 mark.

The Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) championed by Blumenthal would directly combat the state-level attacks on women’s health care by guaranteeing a pregnant person’s right to access an abortion – and the ability of a physician to deliver these services – free from medically unnecessary restrictions that interfere with a patient’s individual choice or the provider-patient relationship.

Blumenthal’s remarks at the Supreme Court rally, as delivered, are available below.

Thank you so much for being here.

I know you would be here if it were raining, I know you are here because you care. And here is a memo to Donald Trump and his appointees to this court: this is what America looks like and America is for reproductive rights.

America is for the principle “my right, my decision,” because we trust women. Now, I trust men too. But I trust women more.

And I just want to say we are at a crossroads. As you know, I helped to lead the fights against the two most recent Trump appointees to the Supreme Court. I fought those appointees. But I hope they are listening to me and to you right now, because it’s bigger than two men, it is about the rule of law. Because “my right, my decision” is in the Constitution. It’s called the Fourth Amendment. Right to privacy, do we believe in it?

I came here about 45 years ago to clerk in this building for the Justice who wrote Roe v. Wade. When Justice Harry Blackmun wrote that decision and the Supreme Court by 7-2 supported it we thought we were done. We thought that right was enshrined in the Constitution.

But this fight goes on. And it has never been more critical. Not just to you, not just to your sisters, not just to your daughters, but to all of the men in America. This decision is about you too. You have a stake. You have a stake in the Constitution.

I’m proud to be joined by my wife Cynthia, who is on the board of the Center for Reproductive Rights, and my daughter Claire, who is a strong advocate of reproductive rights.

And I want to commit to you, I have been in this fight since 45 years ago, I am going to continue in this fight, we are going to win this fight because of that principle: “my right, my decision.”

Thank you for being here, thank you for fighting the fight, we are going to win. Thank you so much.

-30-