I am gravely disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, effectively upending decades of constitutional protection of reproductive autonomy. Without federal protection, abortion will be illegal in Texas. This decision to limit access to reproductive health care is a threat to life and our economy that will cost all Texans.
For years, elected leaders in Texas have made it more and more difficult for Texans to support their families and to have and raise healthy children. Texas maintains severely high rates of maternal mortality, making the decision of if and when to become a parent, quite literally, life or death. It has broad implications on job security, health outcomes, workforce participation, and educational pursuit, especially for people who are already struggling to make ends meet or who have reduced access to affordable health care—such as people with low incomes, people of color, young people, LGBTQ people, and people in rural communities.
Since 1985, Every Texan has advocated for policy solutions that uplift Texans of all backgrounds. We call on our elected officials to invest in our public schools, expand access to affordable health care coverage, promote financial security, and ensure wealthy corporations pay the taxes they owe to fund the social services that benefit all Texans and not just a select few.
In addition to a significant unmet need for affordable family planning services, Texas has one of the worst social safety nets in the country, including an uninsured rate that nearly doubles the national average and some of the highest rates of children living in poverty. If lawmakers will now force people to have children, they must guarantee adequate support systems are available for parents and families. Failure to do so will perpetuate generational poverty and prevent many Texans from fully participating in the shared prosperity of our state.
Economic justice cannot exist without equitable access to affordable family planning services, health care, and reproductive autonomy.
At Every Texan, we believe all Texans, regardless of race, background, gender, or zip code, should have access to the resources to make the best choices for ourselves and our families. Just as we’ve done for more than 35 years, we will continue to work with our partners and policymakers to make Texas a thriving, equitable place to live for every Texan.