This weekend, the Senate is expected to vote on the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
In response, Physicians for Reproductive Health’s Board Chair, Dr. Willie Parker, issued the following statement:
“Brett Kavanaugh would be a disaster for the health, safety, and fundamental rights of patients across this country.
“Last week, we heard Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s account of a man who does not respect the bodily autonomy and well-being of the women he knows. We also saw a man who does not have the temperament for the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh displayed hostility to anyone who disagreed with him and those are not the actions of someone who can approach issues with neutrality and an open mind.
“Brett Kavanaugh would be a disaster for the health, safety, and fundamental rights of patients across this country.”
“Before Dr. Blasey Ford testified, Brett Kavanaugh had already proven that he is unfit for the Supreme Court, or any court. During his confirmation hearings, Kavanaugh showed a clear lack of understanding about the health care needs and fundamental rights of real people. Kavanaugh referred to contraception as “abortion-inducing,” which is scientifically inaccurate. He refused to answer questions about the Affordable Care Act and whether he would uphold coverage for pre-existing conditions. He showed a failure to understand the case of Jane Doe, a 17-year-old immigrant woman who decided to have an abortion, and wrote a dissent that would have forced her care out of reach.
“Whoever sits on the Supreme Court will impact the health and lives of millions, for generations to come. We do not want Kavanaugh to be in a position to harm patient’s rights, whether they need abortion care, affordable health care, LGBTQIA care, or access to birth control. We demand the Senate reject him.”