[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 115 (Wednesday, July 13, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3275-S3276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 705--CONGRATULATING THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT ON ITS 
    HISTORIC VICTORY IN DOBBS V. JACKSON WOMEN'S HEALTH ORGANIZATION

  Mrs. BLACKBURN (for herself, Mr. Lee, Mr. Hagerty, Mr. Risch, Mr. 
Crapo, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Braun, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Young, Mr. 
Rubio, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Thune, Mr. Cramer, Mrs. 
Hyde-Smith, and Mr. Marshall) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 705

       Whereas the decision of the Supreme Court of the United 
     States (referred to in this preamble as the ``Supreme 
     Court'') in Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), was a blatant 
     act of judicial activism that invented a constitutional right 
     to abortion out of whole cloth, with no grounding in the text 
     of the Constitution of the United States;
       Whereas more than 63,000,000 babies have been aborted in 
     the United States since the decision of the Supreme Court in 
     Roe v. Wade;
       Whereas the decision in Roe v. Wade caused great damage to 
     the democratic system of the United States by preventing 
     citizens of the United States from making decisions about the 
     legality of abortion and instead putting these decisions in 
     the hands of unelected Federal judges;
       Whereas, far from settling the issue of abortion in the 
     United States, the decision of the Supreme Court in Roe v. 
     Wade has exacerbated social tensions, inflamed the politics 
     of the United States, disrupted the democratic processes of 
     the United States, and divided the people of the United 
     States;
       Whereas, in the aftermath of the decision of the Supreme 
     Court in Roe v. Wade, millions of volunteers, nonpartisan 
     organizations, and lawmakers came together with a shared 
     voice to stand up for the rights of the unborn, who are the 
     most vulnerable among us;
       Whereas these supporters of the pro-life movement come from 
     diverse backgrounds, with the shared goal of building a 
     society that celebrates, protects, and cherishes life at all 
     stages;
       Whereas the pro-life movement has worked tirelessly over 
     the last 5 decades to reverse the legally unsound and 
     destructive ruling in Roe v. Wade and to ensure that the 
     human dignity of every person is protected by law, regardless 
     of age, background, or belief;
       Whereas the work of the pro-life movement has been more 
     than simply advocating for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe 
     v. Wade and often occurs behind the scenes, with little 
     recognition of the time and talent that countless individuals 
     have invested in the effort to protect life;
       Whereas millions of people in the United States have 
     contributed to the cultivation of a culture of life in the 
     United States by marching for life on the streets of cities 
     in the United States, engaging in sidewalk

[[Page S3276]]

     counseling outside abortion clinics, providing resources for 
     expectant mothers, raising money and volunteering their time 
     for crisis pregnancy centers, adopting and fostering 
     children, advocating for life-affirming legislation in every 
     State, and submitting amicus briefs in abortion-related cases 
     at the State and Federal level;
       Whereas, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court issued its 
     decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, No. 
     19-1392, 2022 WL 2276808 (2022), which overturned Roe v. Wade 
     and affirmed that there is no Federal constitutional right to 
     an abortion;
       Whereas the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health 
     Organization represents a historic victory for the sanctity 
     of life and for the millions of people in the United States 
     who have worked diligently over the last 5 decades to foster 
     a culture of life in the United States;
       Whereas the decision of the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. 
     Jackson Women's Health Organization does not ban abortion but 
     instead recognizes that under the constitutional system of 
     the United States, the power and the duty to decide whether 
     to permit or limit abortions lies with the States, not 
     unelected Federal judges;
       Whereas, as the late Justice Scalia recognized 3 decades 
     ago in his dissent in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern 
     Pennsylvania v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992), ``The 
     permissibility of abortion, and the limitations upon it, are 
     to be resolved like most important questions in our 
     democracy: by citizens trying to persuade one another and 
     then voting.''; and
       Whereas the decision of the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. 
     Jackson Women's Health Organization returns the issue of 
     abortion back to the States, for the people of each State to 
     debate and then vote: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the pro-life movement and the millions of 
     individuals who have stood up for life over the last nearly 
     50 years on this historic victory in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's 
     Health Organization;
       (2) celebrates the courage, compassion, and commitment of 
     the millions of individuals, nonpartisan organizations, and 
     lawmakers who have advocated for life and labored tirelessly 
     to overturn Roe v. Wade;
       (3) lauds the Supreme Court of the United States for the 
     decision to return to the original understanding of the 
     Constitution of the United States and recognize that there is 
     no Federal constitutional right to an abortion;
       (4) recognizes the uniqueness of the political system of 
     the United States, in which our States function as 
     laboratories of democracy, enabling citizens to debate issues 
     like abortion in the public square and make their voices 
     heard by voting;
       (5) affirms the commitment of Congress to ensuring the 
     safety of supporters of the pro-life movement, including 
     lawful demonstrators, volunteers, religious clergy, and 
     crisis pregnancy center personnel, as they continue to 
     advocate for the sanctity of every human life in all 50 
     States; and
       (6) condemns all threats and incidents of violence fueled 
     by the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in 
     Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization and affirms the 
     commitment of Congress to ensuring the safety of justices of 
     the Supreme Court, their law clerks, other State and Federal 
     judges and their law clerks, members of Congress, and State 
     lawmakers.

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