FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 22, 2023
CONTACT: [email protected]
One Country Project Reacts to the One-Year Anniversary of the Supreme Court Decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, One Country Project (OCP) released the following statement in advance of the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to reverse the historic decision in Roe v. Wade:
“One year ago, our country rolled back half a century of women’s rights and equitable access to health care,” said OCP Board Members. “This deeply flawed judgement immediately restricted women’s health decisions and negatively impacted their health outcomes.”
“Rural Americans are particularly vulnerable to this reversal as more than fifty percent of rural women must travel over 30 minutes to reach the nearest hospital offering maternity services. Worsening access to hospital-based obstetric services has contributed to increases in maternal and infant mortality and morbidities among rural residents.
“The monumental decision from the Supreme Court not only changed the map of abortion access, but also sparked a movement that altered the political landscape of America. In Kansas, a record number of voters – around 910,000 compared to 473,438 in 2018 – turned out in a midterm primary to vote down a referendum to allow the legislature to restrict or ban access to abortion and demonstrate overwhelming support for women’s reproductive rights.
“Months later, Wisconsin followed suit and a record youth turnout helped elect Justice Janet Protasiewicz to the Wisconsin State Supreme Court to ensure enforcement of women’s healthcare access.”
As an organization devoted to uplifting rural America’s priorities, OCP continues to amplify the need to protect women’s right to choose. During OCP’s second Rural Progress Summit, Sen. Heitkamp was joined by Angela Vasquez Giroux, vice president of communications at NARAL Pro-Choice America, and Stefan Hankin, founder and president of Lincoln Park Strategies, to discuss this issue even further.
This week, OCP released a Hot Dish podcast episode featuring Cecile Richards, co-founder of Supermajority, and Dr. Sarah Traxler, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood-North Central States, to discuss how the Dobbs decision impacted quality care for women across the country as well as the effect it will have on elections in 2024 and beyond.
Click here to listen to The Hot Dish Podcast: Dobb’s One Year Anniversary.
Click here to listen to The Hot Dish Podcast: Wisconsin’s High-Stakes Fight for Rights.
Click here for a recap of OCP’s Rural Progress Summit.
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About One Country Project
Rural America holds an essential role in moving the United States forward and the One Country Project is dedicated to ensuring Rural America’s priorities and values are heard and reflected in policy at the federal level. To learn more, visit us at www.onecountryproject.com or on Twitter or Facebook.