‘I’m Just Purely Angry’: Somerville Rep. Uyterhoeven On Roe V. Wade

SOMERVILLE, MA — Somerville Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven spoke out Friday afternoon against the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Although Massachusetts is one of 14 states, plus the District of Columbia, with laws in place protecting the right to an abortion, the procedure will likely be nearly impossible to get in about half of U.S. states, including large swaths of the South, Midwest and Northern Plains.

"I don't have words, I'm just purely angry,” Uyterhoeven Tweeted. "As a legislator, I'm imploring all of my fellow Dem electeds to put your words of outrage today into action, and fight like our basic human rights depend on it, because they do, and always have.”

"I'm so tired of fiery speeches and campaign promises that after election day, whittle down to political calculations for career advancement and a massive wall of reasons why we can't act boldly on behalf of our constituents,” she continued. "That, is how we got here. And we must change course."

The Supreme Court decision, authored by Justice Samuel Alito, was released Friday, more than a month after a draft of the opinion leaked.

The Massachusetts Senate voted in May to adopt an amendment that provides enhanced protections for reproductive and gender-affirming health care in the state, including abortion procedures. The amendment also protects out-of-state residents who travel to Massachusetts for such services.