Roe v. Wade In WI: Gov. Evers Coalition Urges Senate, Congress To Act

WISCONSIN — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers sent a letter urging the Senate to pass an act protecting reproductive rights after a leaked opinion projected a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The Wisconsin governor urged the Senate to pass the Women's Health Protection Act, which would prohibit government restriction on providing or accessing abortion in a letter with 16 other governors.

"We, the undersigned governors, call on honorable members of the Senate from both parties to pass this measure and for Congress to immediately take other steps needed to codify the protections prescribed in Roe v. Wade.," Evers said in the letter.

"Reproductive healthcare decisions are deeply personal and should be made by patients in consultation with their healthcare providers, not by politicians," Evers said.

The letter was signed by the governors of California, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Michigan, Connecticut, Illinois and others.

The call followed a leaked opinion from Justice Samuel Alito in a Politico report on Monday. Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the report on Tuesday.

In his opinion draft, Alito said that the ruling from Roe v. Wade, which decriminalized abortion in all 50 states, was "egregiously wrong from the start."

Abortion is still legal in Wisconsin, but if the ruling is overturned then an 1849 law prohibiting the practice would go into effect. Evers said the consequences of discarding the ruling "could not be overstated."

See Also: SCOTUS Could Reject Roe V. Wade, But WI Democrats 'Won't Back Down'