ACLU Supporter –

We just finished arguments at the Supreme Court this morning in our challenge against a Kentucky state law that could prevent many people from getting the abortion care they need.

We know all of this is happening at a time when access to abortion is under sustained, coordinated attack – from the devastating ban on abortion in Texas to the Supreme Court hearing a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade in December.

With that in mind, here are the main points you need to know about today's arguments:

• First, the underlying case Cameron v. EMW Women's Surgical Center, is a challenge to a law that would ban abortion for many people. But the issue before the Supreme Court is whether the Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron can come into the suit, after two courts have already held that law unconstitutional, in an attempt to revive the ban.
• The Justices can choose to put an end to the Attorney General's attempts to force people to continue their pregnancies against their will – or allow him to intervene and open the door to his efforts to put this harmful state ban back into place.
• We know one thing for certain: Whatever the Supreme Court decides, it will have significant repercussions for access to abortion not only for people in Kentucky – but in the surrounding states that rely heavily on Kentucky for this critical healthcare as well.
• Finally, remember that efforts to attack essential abortion care like in Kentucky cannot be viewed in isolation: Because of racism and structural inequity, the harm of abortion restrictions falls hardest on people of color, low-income people, youth, immigrants, LGBTQ people, people in rural areas, and other marginalized communities.

Today's arguments are technical, ACLU Supporter. But at its core, this case – like the Texas case and the case coming to the Supreme Court later this term – poses a profound question:

Will people who are pregnant, who have determined that an abortion is the best decision for them, be allowed to have one or will the Court let politicians force them to stay pregnant?

It's that simple and fundamentally important. And, unless we call significant attention to these efforts to take away our abortion rights, it will happen with little public awareness or outrage.

We won't let that happen. With our coalition partners and activists like you rallying at every turn, we can and will stop these anti-abortion politicians. State-by-state, court-by-court.

We're grateful to have you with us in this fight. We'll continue to keep you updated on more news in our work to come and thanks once again for sticking with us.

Onward,

Jennifer Dalven
Pronouns: She, her, hers
Director of the Reproductive Freedom Project, ACLU

P.S. ACLU Supporter, while we await SCOTUS' decision in this Kentucky case, and all that is to come this term, Congress has a role to play and you can urge them to take action: Tell your senators to pass the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) immediately – which will provide a nationwide safeguard against abortion bans and medically unnecessary restrictions.