Ally,

Six months ago, S.B. 8, a ban on abortion after just six weeks of pregnancy, went into effect in Texas, bringing almost all abortion access to an abrupt stop in the state. The U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly refused to block the unconstitutional ban.

Our client, Whole Woman's Health, is doing all they can to provide care, but because of this ban, Texans have had no option but to travel hundreds of miles to other states to access abortion care—while those who cannot afford to travel have been forced to continue their pregnancies. S.B. 8 has wreaked havoc on clinics in surrounding states, which are struggling to absorb the huge influx of patients from Texas, and now have weeks-long backlogs.

Texas's abortion ban is already creating a ripple effect across the country, with ten states introducing S.B. 8 copycat laws in 2022 so far. And the impact of S.B. 8 and other bans like it falls hardest on those who already face barriers to accessing health care. There is no end in sight to this nightmare, and Texans continue to live in a state of panic and uncertainty.

The Supreme Court has allowed Texas to nullify the Constitution. It refused to block the ban and ruled that federal courts are powerless to stop this vigilante scheme. The Court's disregard for patients in Texas is a deeply alarming sign for the future of Roe v. Wade and abortion access nationwide. The Court will decide on another case later this year in which the state of Mississippi has asked them to overturn Roe completely. The chaos in Texas is just a preview of what will happen on a much larger scale if Roe falls. 

The time for a federal solution is long overdue. Just yesterday, the U.S. Senate took a historic vote on the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), a federal bill that would protect the right to access abortion against unnecessary restrictions and bans in every state. Even though the bill did not achieve the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster, our fight is far from over. We won't quit until WHPA becomes law.

As a native Texan, I stand with the people of Texas and Texan abortion providers today, and every day. Thank you for standing with me in the fight for access to safe, legal abortion care everywhere.

Sincerely,

Marc Hearron
Senior Counsel, U.S. Litigation