U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
on the 34th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
January 22, 2007
Thirty-four years ago today, the United States Supreme Court
handed down its landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, which
recognized that a woman’s right to choose whether or not to
bear a child is protected by the U.S. Constitution. Because of
Roe, women can now plan their families and determine their
futures.
As we mark this anniversary, we can never forget the dark days
before Roe when women were forced to seek illegal or
self-induced abortions, endangering their health and lives. We
can never back down in the face of continuing efforts by
anti-choice extremists to use every avenue--the White House,
Congress, state legislatures, the courts, and at times, even
intimidation and violence--to turn back the clock on women's
reproductive freedom.
But on this day, we also have reason for hope. With this new
Congress, we have a chance for a new common-sense approach not
only to stop policies that threaten the health of women but
also to help prevent unintended pregnancies and abortions in
the first place.
