President Joe Biden put out a statement on Wednesday stating his opposition to a Texas law—SB8--that bans the abortion of an unborn baby who already has a detectable heartbeat.
The law went into effect today.
“SB8,” explained a brief that Texas Gov. Ken Paxton submitted to the Supreme Court, “creates a private cause of action that enables Texans to sue those who perform, or aid and abet the performance of, abortions, after a fetal heartbeat has been detected.”
The law, according to a suit filed against it, effectively bans abortions at approximately six weeks into pregnancy.
In his statement on Wednesday, President Biden said: “This extreme Texas law blatantly violates the constitutional right established under Roe v. Wade and upheld as precedent for nearly half a century.”
“My administration is deeply committed to the constitutional right established in Roe v. Wade nearly five decades ago and will protect and defend that right,” Biden said in his statement.
Here is the full text of Biden's statement:
"Statement by President Joe Biden on Texas Law SB8
"SEPTEMBER 01, 2021
"Today, Texas law SB8 went into effect. This extreme Texas law blatantly violates the constitutional right established under Roe v. Wade and upheld as precedent for nearly half a century.
"The Texas law will significantly impair women’s access to the health care they need, particularly for communities of color and individuals with low incomes. And, outrageously, it deputizes private citizens to bring lawsuits against anyone who they believe has helped another person get an abortion, which might even include family members, health care workers, front desk staff at a health care clinic, or strangers with no connection to the individual.
"My administration is deeply committed to the constitutional right established in Roe v. Wade nearly five decades ago and will protect and defend that right."###