NCJW Welcomes Injunction Against Mississippi Anti-Abortion Law
July 11, 2012, Washington, DC – The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) today applauded the federal district court injunction that will further delay implementation of Mississippi’s latest anti-abortion law. NCJW CEO Nancy K. Kaufman released the following statement:
“NCJW welcomes the decision by US District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III, to issue an injunction against enforcement of a new Mississippi law written in a way that would require the state’s only abortion clinic to shut down. The ruling is a victory for the women of Mississippi — at least for now — as it means they can continue to access safe abortion services pending a full hearing on the law. It strikes a blow to an increasingly extreme anti-abortion movement that has taken every opportunity in the last two years to deprive women of their reproductive freedom across the country.
“The new law would require doctors practicing at the Jackson clinic to obtain admissions privileges at Mississippi hospitals. The only two doctors now performing abortions there come from out-of-state and have encountered difficulty obtaining such privileges. While Gov. Phil Bryant maintains the law is needed for public safety reasons, his true motive in signing it into law is more likely captured by his comment that he wants Mississippi to be ‘abortion-free.’
“The Supreme Court has ruled in Planned Parenthood v. Casey that states may not place undue burdens or substantial obstacles in the way of women seeking an abortion. The Mississippi law clearly does place an undue burden on women exercising their constitutional right to make personal healthcare decisions in keeping with their own moral and religious beliefs and medical needs. We look forward to the federal courts’ dispensing with this assault on women’s rights after the full hearing is held.”
The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms.
Contact: Brianne Nadeau,
202-265-3000 Brianne@rabinowitz-dorf.com