RESOLUTION CONDEMNING ATTACK ON ROE V. WADE
WHEREAS, for almost a half century, the right of a woman to terminate a pregnancy has been guaranteed by well-settled black-letter law in the United States. The 1973 Roe v. Wade landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Texas statute banning abortion and legalized the procedure nationally until the fetus reaches viability, usually at 24 to 28 weeks. Furthermore, the high court held that a woman's right to do so was implicit in the right to privacy protected by the 14th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution; and
WHEREAS, 46 years later, the facts have followed the precept laid down in the wisdom of the 42nd United States President that this procedure be "safe, legal and rare". The number of abortions performed this year have dropped well
below the 1973 level, thus refuting fears that demand would skyrocket. According to Gallup, 60% of Americans
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support abortion rights in the first trimester as is consistent with the Roe v. Wade ruling. Notwithstanding, ten state legislatures have seen fit to promulgate and pass legislation which their governors have signed into law, measures that would further curtail or even deny a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy altogether; and
WHEREAS, since 2011, multiple state governments have been pursuing an aggressive agenda to broadly undermine
women's reproductive rights. State legislators have passed hundreds of restrictions on abortion. These efforts have
been extensive and diverse. However, this year's recent enactments of first-trimester abortion laws portend a more
direct assault on Roe v. Wade protections. Nine states seek to prevent termination at earlier stages of gestation than
now allowed by Roe v. Wade. Utah and, more recently, Arkansas voted to limit the procedure to the middle of the
second trimester. Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Ohio passed so-called "heartbeat bills" that
prohibit termination after six to eight weeks of pregnancy. The neighboring State of Indiana developed the most
insidious legislation, banning the medical procedure used to terminate second trimester pregnancies. Alabama
produced the most extreme statute, completely banning all abortions and imposing harsh measures for performing the
procedure; and " '
WHEREAS, these legislators and governors have acted disingenuously, knowing full well the draconian statutes they have enacted are unlawful and unconstitutional. These capricious and arbitrary acts were designed solely for the purpose of rolling back on even overturning Roe v. Wade due to the recent five-justice conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court, a radical difference in make-up and philosophy from the Supreme Court of the early 1970s. After close to five decades have passed, a woman's right to control her own body need not and should not be relitigatcd; and
WHEREAS, it behooves the many fair-minded members of governing bodies throughout this nation to unite and speak as one voice in condemning such deplorable and unconscionable attacks on a woman's right to choose, it is incumbent upon this august body to promote and encourage action in defense of this vital principle and respect for the rights of women here and throughout this great nation; now therefore
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¦ BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and members of the City of Chicago City Council, gathered on this 29th day of March, 2019 AD, express our condemnation of and outrage at the promulgation and passage of such knowingly unlawful and unconstitutional legislation to repress or even end women's sexual and reproductive rights that have been adjudicated, upheld and guaranteed by the 14th Amendment for 46 years, spending time and treasure in pursuit of purely moralistic and sectarian objectives.
Roderick T. Sawyer / Alderman -6th Ward
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Alderman -5,b Ward
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Hon. Gary R. Herbert, Governor of Utah; Hon. William Asa Hutchinson II, Governor of Arkansas; Hon. Brian P. Kemp, Governor of Georgia; Hon. Matthew G. Bevin, Governor of Kentucky; Hon. John Bel Edwards, Governor of Louisiana; Hon. Michael L. Parson, Governor of Missouri; Hon. Dewy Phillip Bryant, Governor of Mississippi; Hon. Richard Michael DeWine, Governor of Ohio; Hon. Eric J. Holcomb, Governor of Indiana; and Hon. Kay Ellen Ivy, Governor of Alabama.
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