It’s Time for Roe to Go

This week, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s draft majority opinion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was leaked to the press by an unknown source. The draft opinion overturns Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey and returns abortion law to the states, where it belongs.

I was ecstatic to see a potential decision that could save millions of unborn lives, but I was extremely disheartened to see the institution of the Supreme Court degraded by the decision of one person to leak the confidential deliberations of the body, something that has never before happened in the history of the Court. As a nation, we depend on the non-partisan nature of the Court. The Supreme Court rules on some of the most controversial and impactful questions of our time, and our society respects the institution as an impartial, expert body.

The motivation of the leaker remains unknown, but whatever the goal, he or she must be punished to the full extent of the law. Justice John Roberts has launched an investigation into the source of the leak calling the actions “absolutely appalling.” Regardless of the intention, the leaker’s actions threaten the impartiality of the Court as intense political pressure is now descending on the Court. Within a couple days of the leak, a fence was built around the Court to protect the building and those working within, as violence has been reported outside the Court as protesters clash.

This draft opinion is likely just one of many drafts circulating within the Court, so we do not know what the final decision will be, but I am hopeful to see abortion end in my lifetime. Over 60.2 million lives have been violently ended by abortion since 1973, when Roe was imposed on the nation in a “one-size-fits-all” policy. This issue should always have been decided state-by-state by elected representatives to reflect the moral beliefs of its voters. I am grateful Arkansas has a “trigger law” called the Arkansas Human Life Protection Act in place to instantly ban abortion except to save the life of the mother once Roe v Wade is overturned. Arkansas has been ranked as the most pro-life state for the past two years, and I am proud to represent Arkansas’ pro-life values in Congress.