On the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are making a call to action as abortion rights remain under assault across the country.
Biden, 79, shared a statement on Twitter Saturday to mark the landmark Supreme Court decision of 1973 that granted women the right to an abortion in every state.
“The constitutional right established in Roe v. Wade 49 years ago today is under assault as never before,” Biden wrote. “We must recommit to strengthening access to reproductive care, defending the right established by Roe, and protecting the freedom of all people to build their own future.”
Harris, 57, also shared a video message on Twitter, vowing to fight “to protect a woman’s right to choose.”
“Roe v. Wade advanced women’s equality and that case saved women’s lives,” she said, adding, “The proponents of overturning Roe have been clear. They want to take away that right in every state. We will fight to protect a woman’s right to choose.”
“The constitutional right of women to make decisions about their own bodies is not an abstract concept. It saves women’s lives,” Harris continued. “So, on this 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, let us recommit to doing everything we can to protect those constitutional rights.”
Over the weekend, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris also issued a joint statement on the White House website reiterating their pledge to spearhead the right for women’s reproductive rights.
“We are deeply committed to protecting access to health care, including reproductive health care—and to ensuring that this country is not pushed backwards on women’s equality,” the pair said.
“All people deserve access to reproductive health care regardless of their gender, income, race, zip code, health insurance status, immigration status, disability, or sexual orientation. And the continued defense of this constitutional right is essential to our health, safety, and progress as a nation,” said Biden and Harris.