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Norton Condemns Draft Supreme Court Order Overturning Roe, Says Poses Unique Threat to D.C. Women

May 4, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a former constitutional law professor and Supreme Court practitioner, condemned the draft Supreme Court order overturning Roe v. Wade, saying it would not only end the constitutional right to abortion but also call into question whether the Supreme Court will overturn other longstanding and recent precedents protecting unenumerated rights of individuals. She also noted that the draft order presents a unique threat to abortion access in the District of Columbia because of Congress' plenary legislative authority over D.C.

"I am horrified by the Supreme Court's draft order," Norton said. "Congress must immediately codify the right to abortion in federal law. The draft order is also a reminder to the country that D.C.'s lack of statehood means D.C. is subject to the whims of Congress. Republicans have repeatedly used D.C. to try to impose policies they cannot or do not have the support to impose nationally. A future Republican Congress may try to ban abortion in D.C., thinking they can get away with it because it would only apply to D.C. residents. They are wrong. We will never allow that to happen."

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