PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey announced his support of the Women’s Health Protection Act on Tuesday, marking a major shift for the longtime anti-abortion Democrat. The Pennsylvania senator released a statement via Twitter regarding the Senate’s upcoming vote.
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Referring to the recently leaked draft Supreme Court decision regarding Roe v. Wade, he wrote, "The real question of the moment is: Do you support a categorical ban on abortion? During my time in public office, I have never voted for—nor do I support—such a ban."
His statement reads, in full:
“This week, I will again vote yes to advance debate on the Women’s Health Protection Act and I will support the bill if there is a vote on final passage in the future.
“In the nearly three months since the Senate last voted on the Women’s Health Protection Act, the circumstances around the entire debate on abortion have changed. In light of the leaked Supreme Court decision draft overturning Roe v. Wade, and subsequent reports that Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate will introduce legislation to enact a nationwide six-week ban, the real question of the moment is: do you support a categorical ban on abortion? During my time in public office, I have never voted for—nor do I support—such a ban.”
Casey has long described himself as an anti-abortion Democrat. His father, Bob Casey, Sr., former governor of Pennsylvania, was known for leading the Democratic Party’s anti-abortion faction. The senior Casey led a fight against Planned Parenthood that landed in the U.S. Supreme Court. Their 1992 landmark decision on Planned Parenthood v. Casey upheld the abortion rights established in Roe v. Wade, while also upholding almost all abortion prohibitions that he had signed into law as governor.