JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – On Friday, June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case, ending constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years.
The court, in a 6-3 ruling powered by its conservative majority, upheld a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks.
The opinion comes from the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Mississippi is one of several states that enacted a ban on abortion after 15 weeks. Friday’s outcome is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
Mississippi leaders reacted to Friday’s decision by the Supreme Court.
This is a momentous day for our nation, and Mississippi led the charge. This decision is an answered prayer, marking the beginning of the next chapter in our fight to protect the unborn. The Court’s ruling confirms what many legal experts have known for decades – that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided and the power to set abortion policy should rest with the people and their elected representatives.
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
Roe v. Wade has been a terrible stain on our nation for too long. I am grateful to God for His divine guidance in the Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs.
By effectively overturning Roe v. Wade, the United States will step away from the notion that aborting a baby must be allowed on-demand and up until the birth. Today, the Dobbs decision stands as an affirmation that states can take actions to protect both the preborn and their mothers.
The decision does not outlaw abortion, as some pro-abortionists contend. But it is a significant departure from Roe in that the people, through their elected leaders, will guide how each state approaches abortion, rather than a nationwide policy set by unelected judges. As we move forward as a nation, I believe greater attention should be paid to the needs of pregnant women and their babies.
I am so very proud that Mississippi has had a leading role in overturning Roe v. Wade, and I will continue to pray for God’s guidance over the Supreme Court and all policymakers who will now take up the abortion issue across the country.
U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.)
“Prayers have been answered. The right to life just won a historic victory with Roe being overturned. I was honored to be part of this case by submitting an amicus brief to the Court laying out the legal precedent for Roe to be overturned,” said Congressman Michael Guest (R-Miss.).
“It’s a great day for life! I’m proud to be part of the movement that has fought to protect life while the Left would see millions of innocent lives lost to the despicable act of abortion. This SCOTUS decision is a win for every life lost too soon and every life yet to be born,” said Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.).
Mississippi has led the nation to overcome one of the greatest injustices in the history of our country. Our state’s historic case before the United States Supreme Court was the catalyst for overturning Roe v. Wade and has made the nation safer for children than it was just a few short hours ago.
Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.)
Let’s be clear: this decision will directly result in more hearts beating, more strollers pushed, more report cards given, more little league games played, and more lives well lived. It is a joyous day! Tomorrow, we will wake to a new world, enthusiastically prepared to take on the challenges ahead and to take every step necessary to support mothers and children.
We must remember that our work is not yet over. The pro-life movement must dedicate itself to ensuring mothers and their babies receive the support they both need during pregnancy and after.
Despite what some may claim, Mississippi’s objective was never simply to win a court case – it’s been to create a culture of life across the country.
Our state seeks to be pro-life in every sense of the word – supporting mothers and children through policies of compassion and working to ensure that every baby has a forever family that loves them.
Mississippi will work relentlessly to accomplish these goals and will continue to build a culture that supports mothers and children, valuing the inherent dignity of every individual. This is our new pro-life agenda.
I applaud the Supreme Court Justices for their courage in issuing this well-reasoned decision. It took bravery to stick to the courage of their convictions, especially amidst an unprecedented leak that was aimed at threatening the integrity of the Court, an assassination attempt, riot threats, and attacks on churches and pregnancy centers. No matter one’s party or ideology, we should all be able to condemn these acts.
I pray that Americans will come together, listen to one another, and debate this issue peacefully. Only by moving beyond our divisions and having respectful conversations can we begin to heal this nation’s wounds.
We stand on the shoulders of giants. This win has been achieved thanks to the tireless efforts of so many over decades. Thank you to the lawyers who argued this case for us, passionate citizens who pushed this issue for years, and those who prayed for this day for many decades. I urge my fellow Mississippians to rejoice today and keep praying as the work is not done.
Today marks a new era in American history — and a great day for the American people. Roe v Wade is now behind us, consigned to the list of infamous cases that collapsed under the weight of their errors. This decision is a victory not only for women and children, but for the Court itself. I commend the Court for restoring constitutional principle and returning this important issue to the American people.
Now, our work to empower women and promote life truly begins. The Court has let loose its hold on abortion policymaking and given it back to the people. The task now falls to us to advocate for the laws that empower women – laws that promote fairness in child support and enhance enforcement of it, laws for childcare and workplace policies that support families, and laws that improve foster care and adoption.
We must renew our commitment to weaving a safety net that helps women in challenging circumstances and gives their children life and hope. This is about more than the fundamentals of prenatal vitamins and diapers; it is about helping to connect them to opportunities for education and job training to support their families. And always, it is about love and respect for them through whatever struggles they face. This is what it means to both empower women and promote life.
I am grateful to the Court for this opportunity and even more grateful to the millions of women and men across our nation who will lead us into this new post-Roe world. I have been proud to stand with you in the fight to get to this day and I will be proud to stand with you as we build a new framework for the life movement.
Attorney General Lynn Fitch (R-Miss.)
Thanking God today for the ruling in the Dobbs case. Thanks to President Trump and his appointees to the Supreme Court, untold unborn children will be saved.
State Auditor Shad White (R-Miss.)
“Our constitution states clearly that all people, no matter how small, are created equal. It celebrates the fact that in America we are guaranteed a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A half-century after the devastating Roe v. Wade decision, the Supreme Court has restored the strength of these convictions and re-established our country’s calling to protect these certain and unalienable rights. I thank the citizens of Mississippi, our legislature, and our leaders for being bold enough to push our nation toward this life-affirming decision,” said Treasurer David McRae (R-Miss.).
“The Court’s decision today returns the right to protect the unborn to the states. Mississippi is a leader on this critical issue, with a law already in place which will prohibit abortion. I am pro-life. I am also pro-child. In addition to protecting the unborn, we must also focus on other ways to support women, children, and families,” said Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R-Miss.).
The day so many prayed for is here. HB1510 is law and Roe v. Wade is no more. With love for children and the women who bear them, we move forward to secure strong and lasting legal protections and cultural support for life, and a vibrant network of abortion alternatives.
To that end, I am forming the “Speaker’s Commission on Life,” to which I will appoint House members & experts on policy, women’s health, adoption and child protection. They will be charged with recommending “Next Steps for Life” legislation to be ready to take up in January.
This Next Steps for Life legislation will address:
– More effective & well-funded child protection & foster care,
– More available & affordable adoption;
– Next generation child support enforcement to hold fathers accountable, so mothers don’t bear the burdens alone.
Speaker of the House Philip Gunn (R-Miss.)
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Mississippi condemned the ruling on Friday.
“After today’s decision, Mississippi politicians are getting ready to turn back the clock nearly 50 years on our fundamental rights and force women and everyone who can become pregnant into a second-class status, putting Mississippi on the wrong side of history, once again, “ said Jarvis Dortch, executive director at ACLU of Mississippi.