President Obama was brief in his statement marking the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade today as the March for Life went on as scheduled in D.C. despite a blizzard warning.
Obama said the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion “affirmed a woman’s freedom to make her own choices about her body and her health.”
“The decision supports the broader principle that the government should not intrude on private decisions made between a woman and her doctor,” he said. “As we commemorate this day, we also redouble our commitment to protecting these constitutional rights, including protecting a woman’s access to safe, affordable health care and her right to reproductive freedom from efforts to undermine or overturn them.”
“In America, every single one of us deserves the rights, freedoms, and opportunities to fulfill our dreams.”
Hillary Clinton appeared at a NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire dinner in Manchester last night to celebrate the anniversary.
Her campaign spent the week hitting at Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for including Planned Parenthood among his description of the political establishment.
Despite temperatures in the 20s and a National Weather Service blizzard warning in effect from 3 p.m. today through 6 a.m. Sunday, the March for Life was going ahead as schedule. Snow was expected to start at 1 p.m., the scheduled time of the march.
Speakers were to include presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.).
NARAL insisted in a statement that “the anti-choice movement, on display marching today in DC, is not the majority in this country—opposing abortion rights as well as access to sex education and contraception.”
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said it’s up to lawmakers to stand up for what’s right.
“Congress refuses to recognize that the right to life is guaranteed to all Americans — born and unborn,” Paul said. “It is the government’s duty to protect life, liberty, and property, but primarily and most importantly, a government must protect life.”
The #MarchForLife is still happening. We still have our permit and first amendment rights. @NatlParkService is w/ us pic.twitter.com/WTA165x8Is
— March for Life (@March_for_Life) January 22, 2016
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