Presidential Document2023-01599
50th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Decision
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 25, 2023
Signed
January 20, 2023
Issuing agencies
Executive Office of the President
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 4719-4720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01599]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 88 , No. 16 / Wednesday, January 25, 2023 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 4719]]
Proclamation 10515 of January 20, 2023
50th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Decision
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Fifty years ago, on January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court
issued its landmark 7-2 decision in Roe v. Wade,
protecting a woman's constitutional right to choose.
This case reaffirmed basic principles of equality,
reinforced the fundamental right to privacy, and
resolved that women in this country could control their
own destinies--making deeply personal decisions free
from political interference.
The Court got Roe right 50 years ago. It was a balanced
decision with broad national consensus that the
majority of Americans have continued to support for the
last 50 years. And it was a constitutional principle
upheld by justices appointed by Democratic and
Republican Presidents alike.
But 7 months ago, a conservative majority on the
Supreme Court overturned Roe. Never before has the
Court taken away a right so fundamental to Americans.
In doing so, it put the health and lives of women
across this Nation at risk. The Supreme Court opened
the door for new challenges to other fundamental
freedoms, including access to contraception and the
right to marry whom you love. Millions of women now
live in States with extreme bans on abortion, many
without exceptions for rape and incest, or, where
doctors can be jailed for providing reproductive care.
Today, trailblazers who fought heroically for the Roe
v. Wade decision are watching the next generation grow
up without its protections.
On what would have been the 50th anniversary of
protections under Roe v. Wade, my Administration is
resolute in its commitment to defending reproductive
rights and continuing our Nation's progress toward
equality for all. In response to the Court's extreme
Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision,
I issued Executive Orders to ensure that patients
receive care during medical emergencies; to protect
access to contraception and abortion services,
including access to medication approved by the Food and
Drug Administration; and to improve the safety of
patients, providers, and clinics. My Administration is
helping to safeguard patients' privacy over their
health data and is ensuring that women everywhere have
access to accurate information about their reproductive
rights. I also created an Interagency Task Force on
Reproductive Healthcare Access to lead our Government-
wide response. And senior Administration leaders,
including Vice President Kamala Harris, have traveled
the country listening to women, health care providers,
legal experts, and State and local officials to ensure
that our efforts are reaching those most in need of
support.
Since the Court's decision to overturn Roe, Americans
across the country--from California to Kansas to
Michigan--have made clear at the ballot box that they
believe the right to choose is fundamental and should
be preserved. Still, we know that the only way to truly
secure the right to choose is for the Congress to
codify the protections of Roe v. Wade. I continue to
call on the Congress to pass legislation to make those
protections the law of the land once and for all. Until
then, I will continue to use my Executive authority to
protect women and families from harm in the wake of the
Dobbs decision.
[[Page 4720]]
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of
the United States of America, by virtue of the
authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws
of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 22,
2023, as the 50th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade
Decision. I call upon Americans to honor generations of
advocates who have fought for reproductive freedom, to
recognize the countless women whose lives and futures
have been saved and shaped by the Roe v. Wade decision,
and to march forward with purpose as we work together
to restore the right to choose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
seventh.
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2023-01599
Filed 1-24-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F3-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 25, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.