It is a tectonic shift on abortion rights. The U. S. Supreme Court
today remade the legal landscape throwing out the president laid
down 50 years ago in Roe versus Wade will be dedicating most of tonight's
program to the decision and the praise and protests that it has touched
off.
John Yang begins our coverage.
Outside the Supreme Court jubilation and celebration for some
choice. Others rage coupled with resolve.
Today's decision had been much anticipated since early May, when
Justice Samuel Alito's draft opinion was looked
court's ruling ends the constitutional right to an abortion.
A right that had been the law of the land for nearly 50 years, Alito
wrote the majority opinion joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil
Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.
The liberal Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan
dissented. Chief Justice John Roberts did not join his conservative
colleagues and overturning Roe. He said there was no need to do that,
in order to uphold a 15 week Mississippi abortion ban that was the
subject of the case.
At the White House. President Biden quickly condemned the decision
and urged Congress to act the court has done what has never done
before. Expressly take away a constitutional right.
It is so fundamental.
So many Americans had already been recognized.
The court's decision to do so we'll have real and immediate consequences.
The only way we can secure women's right to choose.
The balance that existed.
Is for Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade as federal
law.
In a statement, Former President Trump called the ruling the biggest
win for life in a generation. He went on to take credit for it, saying
it was only made possible because I delivered everything as promised.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi weighed in at her weekly news conference.
American Women today have less freedom than their mothers from 50
years, a constitutional right
For woman having the right to choose
They're packed. Chrissy is raging.
But the harm
Is endless. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy claimed a win.
The people have won a victory.
The right to life has been vindicated.
The voiceless will finally have a voice.
This great nation can now live up to its core principle.
That all are created equal.
Not born equal, created equal.
Today's ruling is likely to lead to abortion bans and about half
the states. Some have lost triggered by the overturning of Roe or
pre roll laws still on the books. Michigan Attorney General Dana
Nessel said her states 1931 law is unenforceable in the event that
the court of Appeals or later the Michigan Supreme Court were to
overturn that.
Then the 1931 lob which bring back into effect, But as of right now
it is unenforceable. So everything remains the same as it was yesterday
at this time, But just for now.
Corporate America also responded. The Walt Disney Company announced
it would pay for employees travel if it was needed to access family
planning and reproductive care. Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Netflix
and Amazon, among others, had already pledged offer similar benefits.
From overseas leaders weighed in on the historic ruling British Prime
Minister Boris Johnson. I think it's a big step backwards. I've always
believed in a woman's right to choose, and I stick to that view,
and that's why the
The UK has the laws that it does Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
tweeted. It was horrific, French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron wrote.
Abortion is a fundamental right for all women.
Democracy looks like as the day wore on the crowd outside the Supreme
Court grew. Gatherings are expected in cities across the country