A year ago this week, the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision in a landmark victory for the pro-life movement. The Supreme Court said in its decision: “The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives.”
While many folks said this decision makes all abortion illegal, the Supreme Court simply said laws regulating abortions should be decided by you and your elected representative.
The Constitution does not give a federally protected right to an abortion, so it is up to each state to determine abortion laws.
This has been a great opportunity for states like Alabama to write laws that are consistent with their own values instead of having folks like Nancy Pelosi or Chuck Schumer force their values on us.
Regardless of where each of us stands on the abortion debate, we can all agree that every life – from conception to death – is worth protecting and fighting for. After all, life is a precious gift from God, and every single human is made in His image.
That’s why I’m proud to have cosponsored more than a dozen pro-life bills during my time in Congress.
Some of the bills I’ve cosponsored include the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, the Protecting Life in Crisis Act, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.
Although these bills are great steps, the most important thing each of us can do is teach our children and our grandchildren to value, protect, and fight for life at all stages. If we are truly pro-life, this should be one of our top priorities. In a post Roe world, we also need to encourage our elected representatives to advance legislation protecting both the health and well-being of mothers in addition to the health of unborn and newborn babies.
We still have a long way to go on this journey, but overturning Roe v. Wade was a very good place to start. I can promise you, I will continue doing all I can to fight for life.
Jerry Carl represents Alabama’s First Congressional District. He lives in Mobile with his wife Tina.
