Joe Biden reacts to leaked SC draft overturning abortion rights in US; calls it 'radical'

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday, 3 May, criticised the “radical” draft of the Supreme Court which is overturning the Roe v. Wade ruling. Biden highlighted that his administration has been strongly in defence of Roe v. Wade. He stated that Roe v. Wade abortion rights ruling has stood for a half-century and warned that other rights including birth control are at risk if the court follows through. The statement of Biden came after the SC's draft was accessed by Politico. 

Biden said that he thinks that the decision in Roe was correct as they need to have a right to privacy. According to him, they can have limitations on it, however, they cannot fully deny it. The court has verified the authenticity of the leaked draft, which was dated in February. Chief Justice John Roberts said he has ordered a probe into what he called an “egregious breach of trust,” according to AP. The court statement implies that it is not the final justice word. It is pertinent to note here that the decision to overrule Roe would result in abortion bans in around half the states. According to Biden, after the Texas law SB 8 and other laws restricting women’s reproductive rights were enacted, he had ordered his Gender Policy Council and White House Counsel’s Office to prepare options for an Administration response to the continued attack on abortion and reproductive rights. 

Biden highlights eventualities if court overturns Roe v. Wade decision

US President Joe Biden said that the “basic fairness and the stability of our law demand” that the court does not overturn the ruling of Roe v. Wade. Biden said his administration is preparing for all probabilities if the court ultimate rules and that a decision overturning Roe would raise the stakes for voters to elect pro-choice officials this November. He asserted that they will require more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority at the Federal level in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe. He stressed that he will work to pass it and sign it into law. 

"If the Court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation’s elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman’s right to choose. And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November," US President Joe Biden said.

"At the federal level, we will need more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, which I will work to pass and sign into law," Biden added.

What is the leaked SC draft?

The draft opinion suggests that when the justices met in private shortly after arguments in the case on December 1, at least five judges voted to overrule Roe and Casey, according to AP. Furthermore, Justice Samuel Alito, had to write the court’s majority opinion. The draft's opinion states that the Roe has been wrong from the beginning. The draft was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, who is a member of the court’s 6-3 conservative majority and was appointed by former US President George W. Bush. In effect, the draft states that there is no constitutional right to abortion and would allow individual states to more heavily monitor or ban the procedure.

Inputs from AP

Image: AP