Richmond, VA. (NewsradioWRVA.com) - Senator Mark Warner says he's gravely worried what might happen after a draft Supreme Court suggesting that the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion may be overturned. He's worried not only what may potentially happen with that decision, but what may also happen with future decisions regarding contraception, gay rights or marriage equality.
Warner says he's surprised that something like this would come from the Supreme Court because that body is normally seen as "beyond politics". He says while Republicans are focusing on the leak, Warner says the bigger worry is the potential dramatic rollback of constitutional rights.
Senator Tim Kaine says the leak is shocking and unfortunate. He says the history of decisions from the Supreme Court seem to indicate that government can't intrude on reproductive decisions. That's been the pattern in a series of decisions dating back 100 years. He says that Justice Alito's opinion is a pre-14th amendment opinion that demeans due process and equal protection guarantees.
He says what Congress needs to do is take up the Women's Health Protection Act. That would provide a guarantee the right for women to make reproductive decisions without government getting in the way. He says it may come to a vote next week. It has been introduced on the floor but, up until a couple of days ago, it wasn't really top of mind. Now, Kaine says, it is. He says it may come up for a vote next week.
Kaine also reminds that this is a leaked opinion and not an actual decision. That could come in June or, at the latest, early July.
