Recently, the United States Supreme Court issued its highly anticipated decision on the Dobbs v. Jackson case. In this decision made in a 6-3 vote, the justices ruled that abortion is not a constitutional right and thus not a federal issue. This means that the laws made surrounding abortion will go back to each of America’s 50 unique states and their voters. Not only is this a monumental win for states’ rights, but also the rights of unborn children.
I am hopeful that this decision will mark a turning point in our nation’s treatment of the unborn. In fact, before Dobbs, the U.S. was just one of only seven countries worldwide, including North Korea and China, to allow elective abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. And many European countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, have placed restrictions on elective abortions after 14 weeks of gestation.
When becoming a physician, doctors take an oath to “do no harm.” However, after just 15 weeks of pregnancy, the only form of abortion is dismemberment. This gruesome and devastating procedure tears a baby apart limb by limb. Because of medical and scientific advancements since the Roe v. Wade decision, the policy quickly became outdated. Since then, we have understood the humanity of unborn children better.
Because of modern science, we know that at just 15 weeks, an unborn baby can feel pain, has fully formed fingers and toes, has a fully developed heart pumping 26 quarts of blood per day and much more. Finally, because of critical medical advancements, the viability of born babies has moved up significantly since 1973 and continues to do so.
Roe v. Wade was an unfortunate instance of judicial activism with no constitutional basis and imposed a one-size-fits-all federal abortion policy. The Dobbs decision will allow Americans to have a discussion and come to a consensus through their elected officials instead of unelected judges and bureaucrats. Unfortunately, Democrats are seeking to overturn the effect of the ruling and to inhibit states from advancing their policies that reflect their values with respect to life. Just last week, President Biden issued an executive order aimed at using federal tools and resources to allow abortions to go forward. This week, House Democrats are bringing to the floor legislation meant to codify and expand the abortion policy of Roe v. Wade, wiping from the books earlier restrictions and aiming to allow abortion on-demand at any point during a pregnancy. Both actions are not only misguided, but they are misaligned with the millions of Americans who respect the sanctity of life and wish to protect unborn children.
This decision from the nation’s highest court is a step in the right direction toward realizing this promise for all Americans. As a proud defender of unborn life throughout my career, both in Congress and in the Oklahoma State Legislature, I am pleased that voters will now have a voice on this important issue. As penned in the Declaration of Independence, our forefathers founded America with the strong belief that individuals are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” Among those is the right to life, which influences my commitment to protecting the most vulnerable, including the unborn.
