House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said abortion is a faith-based choice that should be backed by the United States, expressing disapproval at the Supreme Court’s likely support to uphold Mississippi’s ban on abortions more than 15 weeks into a woman’s pregnancy.
The California Democrat, who is Catholic, said the issue shouldn’t be a polarizing one, citing Ireland’s more liberal approach to abortion, despite a population that is overwhelmingly Catholic.
“It’s really scary and I say that as a practicing Catholic. This shouldn’t even be a political issue. Look at Ireland. They’re a more Catholic country. Look at Ireland and how they passed legislation respecting women,” Mrs. Pelosi said Thursday at a press conference.
The Catholic Church itself is against abortion.
The House speaker added that she felt the high court, based on the tenor of Wednesday’s oral arguments, was set to make an unconstitutional decision, adding that the House had passed legislation to codify Roe v. Wade, a landmark 1973 case that protects a woman’s right to pursue an abortion without government intervention.
“The court is threatening to trample over the Constitution, destroy Roe v. Wade, and take away a woman’s freedom to make the most fundamental decision for herself and her family working with her family members, and her doctor and her faith,” Mrs. Pelosi said.
The Supreme Court heard nearly two hours of arguments over the Mississippi law on Wednesday, pondering a potential shift in five decades of precedent that’s upheld Roe v. Wade. If the court allows the restrictive Mississippi law to stand, it could give other states the power to impose more severe abortion restrictions.
The court is expected to issue its decision by next summer.
• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.
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