For Immediate Release: September 2, 2021
Media Contacts: press@prochoice.org; 202-918-7768
Statement of The Very Reverend Katherine Ragsdale, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF):
Late last night, the Supreme Court dealt another blow to people in Texas when they denied an emergency request to block an extreme abortion ban that went into effect yesterday in the state.
In an order that Justice Sonia Sotomayor called “stunning” the Supreme Court turned its back on the Constitution, 50 years of its own precedent, and the people in Texas who deserve to access the abortion care they need.
The Supreme Court may have abandoned people in Texas, but NAF and our members have not. Together, with our members, we are helping people in Texas who can get care under this terrible law and helping those who cannot get legal care in Texas to travel out of state if they can.
SB 8 bans abortion early in pregnancy—before most people even know that they are pregnant—and has ended almost all access to abortion in the state, leaving tens of thousands of people with few options.
The NAF Hotline Fund is the largest national, toll-free, multi-lingual Hotline for financial assistance and information about where patients can find abortion care. We have seen a sharp increase in calls from people in Texas this week.
We are hearing from people who are scared and desperate. We have been able to help some find a provider and travel to another state, but others who cannot travel out of state will be forced to continue their pregnancy against their will. And some may try to terminate their pregnancy on their own. It is heartbreaking that these people could have accessed care on Tuesday, but now cannot.
Laws like SB 8 are an assault on abortion providers and patients, and we cannot let them stand. We will fight together to undo the systems and stigma that allow the passage of laws like SB 8.
If you are in Texas and need help finding an abortion provider, you can call the NAF Hotline at 1-800-772-9100 and press “1” or visit ProtectAbortionInTexas.com.
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