The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to consider Mississippi’s 15-week abortion law and the constitutionality of pre-viability prohibitions on elective abortions.

 

In 2018, the Mississippi state legislature, with broad bipartisan support in both chambers, adopted the Gestational Age Act, which protects life after 15 weeks gestation. Jackson Women’s Health Organization challenged the law.

 

“Over the past fifty years, there have been a lot of changes in the world. Technology and science have advanced to support life earlier in the womb,” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said to the crowd outside the Supreme Court. “The roles of women and men have been altered and workplace and cultural norms have progressed to make it easier for working mothers to balance professional success and family life. I know how hard it has been – and how hard it can still be. I was a working, single mother of three beautiful children. But, year after year, we are making the changes in our society that make it easier.”

 

General Fitch continued “Roe v Wade has made it impossible to take those changes into account. Abortion policy has been frozen in 1973. It is time our laws caught up. It is time for the unelected judges of this Court to release abortion policymaking to the people, to allow our elected leaders to speak the people’s will … or be held accountable at the ballot box. We know these are hard choices. We know there are no easy answers. But the Constitution gives the job to us, to the people. And we are ready to do that job.”

 

Outside the Court, thousands of demonstrators rallied in support of Mississippi. Dozens of women from diverse backgrounds, including state legislators from both sides of the aisle, OBGYNs, legal scholars, moms of children with disabilities, Mississippi pregnancy help organizers, civil and human right advocates, secular and religious leaders, joined together with a message to empower women and promote life.

 

President of Susan B. Anthony List Marjorie Dannenfelser said, “It’s time to modernize our laws. The people of each state deserve to have the real debate that the courts have stifled for so long.”

 

Kristen Day, Executive Director of Democrats for Life, said, “Overturning Roe and allowing the Mississippi law to stand will allow debate and enable our nation to build consensus on how we as a society can protect and empower women and protect pre-born life. We can stop pitting mothers against children and build a society where we choose both.”

 

Solicitor General Scott Stewart argued the case on behalf of the State of Mississippi.