(DETROIT) – On this date 41 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade, affirming the constitutional right of women to make their own health care choices. In marking this historic anniversary, U.S. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) issued the following statement:

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.): “Forty one years ago today, the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionally protected right of all women to make their own health care decisions. Yet, as we commemorate this historic anniversary, we are reminded of the uphill battle that remains for women’s equality and reproductive rights. In just the first few weeks of 2014, Republicans are already planning a vote on legislation that would turn back the clock on women’s health. Rather than focusing our energy on undoing four decades of progress, I hope my colleagues can recognize the deeply personal nature of private healthcare choices and move past a divisive issue that the Supreme Court settled long ago.”

Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.): “In 1973, the Supreme Court issued one of the most important decisions of the 20th century – Roe v. Wade. Despite that landmark ruling, the right of a woman to make health care decisions about her body remains under relentless attack. Anti-choice legislators in Washington, DC and in state capitals throughout America continue their assault on a woman's right to choose by writing absurd anti-women laws and ultimately seeking to overturn Roe v. Wade altogether. I remain committed to fighting against these measures and to protecting the rights of women to make their own health care decisions.”

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