Palmer Marks Four Years Since Dobbs Decision
Alabama Rep. Gary Palmer praises the Dobbs ruling, saying it restored abortion policy to the States and reaffirmed the value of unborn life
U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL-06) marked the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization on Wednesday, praising the ruling as a major constitutional victory and renewing his call for policies that protect unborn children and support families.
The Supreme Court issued its decision on June 24, 2022, overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The ruling held that the U.S. Constitution does not confer a right to abortion and returned authority over abortion laws to elected officials in the States. The case arose from a challenge to Mississippi's 15-week abortion law.
In a statement released on the anniversary, Palmer said the Court corrected what he described as decades of constitutional error.
“Four years ago, the Supreme Court rightly recognized that the Constitution does not contain the right to abortion. The Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson corrected a constitutional overreach and returned the issue of abortion to the American people and their elected representatives. While countless unborn lives have been saved since then, our work is not finished,” said Rep. Palmer. “Every child is a gift, and we must continue advancing policies that protect the unborn, support mothers and families, and uphold the dignity and value of human life.”
The Dobbs decision reshaped abortion policy across the country by ending nearly 50 years of federal constitutional protection for abortion. Since the ruling, States have enacted a wide range of laws, from near-total abortion bans to expanded legal protections for abortion access, creating a patchwork of policies nationwide.
Alabama already had the Human Life Protection Act in place before Dobbs. That law, which bans nearly all abortions except when necessary to prevent a serious health risk to the mother, took effect after the Supreme Court overturned Roe.
Palmer, who has consistently supported pro-life legislation during his time in Congress, said the anniversary serves as a reminder that supporters of the Dobbs decision should continue working to protect unborn children while expanding support for mothers and families.
