Federal Supreme Court Rules Louisiana Law Violates Abortion Rights
Conservative-Majority Court Issues Consecutive Progressive Rulings
White House: "Supreme Court Infringes on State Sovereignty"
On the 29th, abortion rights supporters are welcoming the ruling that Louisiana's law infringed on abortion rights in front of the United States Supreme Court. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The U.S. Supreme Court has once again sided with the progressive camp. It ruled that a Louisiana law restricting women's access to abortion care and procedures violates abortion rights. The Trump administration, which supported the Louisiana law, has suffered another blow from the Supreme Court ruling.
On the 29th (local time), the Supreme Court judged that Louisiana's abortion medical facility law, which limits the number of abortion clinics and the number of doctors who can perform abortions, infringes on women's constitutional right to abortion.
The Court stated, "The Louisiana law drastically reduces the number and geographic distribution of abortion providers, making it impossible for many women to obtain safe and legal abortions within the state."
The law prohibits having two or more abortion clinics within approximately 30 miles and requires that only doctors with hospital admitting privileges can perform the procedures.
This ruling was made with Chief Justice John Roberts joining the four progressive justices among the five conservative justices.
Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, arguing that Louisiana's law is legitimate and that this ruling "perpetuates unfounded abortion jurisprudence," but his dissent remained in the minority.
As a result, the Trump administration, which supported Louisiana's position, has faced setbacks again following rulings on the 15th that blocked bans on workplace discrimination against sexual minorities and on the 18th that halted efforts to repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
However, Chief Justice Roberts clarified that he did not find the Louisiana law unconstitutional on its own merits but ruled based on existing Supreme Court precedents. The Court had previously invalidated a nearly identical Texas law in 2016.
The White House expressed regret in a spokesperson's statement, criticizing, "The Supreme Court destroyed Louisiana's policy, devaluing both maternal health and fetal life, and non-elected justices imposed their policy preferences on abortion, infringing on the states' sovereign rights."
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