El Paso Democrats believe abortion battle will continue next legislative session

The president of Planned Parenthood is cheering Monday’s Supreme Court abortion ruling as “an enormous victory for women.” Cecile Richards says the court has recognized that tough restrictions passed in Texas in 2013 “do not enhance patient safety.”

The court today voted 5-3 in support of Texas clinics that argued the regulations were an attempt to make it harder for women to get an abortion. The ruling may also jeopardize similar laws in other states. They require doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.

El Paso State Representative Mary Gonzalez, (D) District 75, said Monday she believes shuttered abortion clinics in our region are capable of reopening soon. Gonzalez also said she expects new bills restricting abortion to be introduced next year. “I think we’ll see a backlash from the other side and we’re prepared for the legislative session that starts in January,” the state representative said.

“This is a very momentous decision for the rights of women in this country,” State Senator Jose Rodriguez said, “Not only did the court say that it was unconstitutional to restrict women’s access to abortion, as a result of a Texas law HB-2, but I believe that in that language they used, they were re-affirming Roe vs. Wade, which is the fundamental right of a woman to get an abortion.”

Rodriguez reminded those at a pro-choice rally in Downtown El Paso Monday that the Sun city was down to one clinic, meaning some women were having to travel to nearby cities to undergo an abortion.

El Pasoan Lyda Ness said some abortion clinics provide “much needed healthcare for rural and poor communities.” Ness said the clinics offer services like mammograms, birth control and cervical cancer screenings.

“I was two years old when Roe vs Wade passed, I would never thought we would be here again fighting for this,” Ness said.

An employee at Hilltop Women’s Reproductive Center, who wished to remain anonymous, told ABC-7 today’s ruling is going to make “women feel safe again knowing these services will be provided for them.”

Not everyone agreed with Monday’s Supreme Court ruling.

“It’s kind of disheartening to see how the Supreme Court thought that the profit was more important for abortion clinics, than setting higher standards for women’s health,” said Gabriela Federico, with the Diocese of El Paso.

Federico said abortion clinics “can do whatever they feel like doing without being regulated. Women deserve more and we need to continue to fight for these types of laws.”

Federico said it is also important to reach out to women considering terminating their pregnancy. “They deserve support. They say, ‘Its my only choice,’ and its not their only choice,” Federico said. “Killing your own child is not a solution, empowering women is a solution.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says it’s “unfortunate” that the court “has taken the ability to protect women’s health out of the hands of Texas citizens and their duly elected representatives.”