President Biden on Friday called the Supreme Court decision that overturns of Roe v. Wade a “tragic error” and implored voters to turn out in November to elect members of Congress willing to write abortion protections into law. Speaking from the White House, Biden said, “This is a sad day for the country in my view, but it doesn’t mean the fight is over.”
Biden said the decision puts reproductive health at risk and singled out Justice Clarence Thomas’s concurring opinion, in which he opened the door to the court revisiting decisions on contraception and same-sex marriage. Biden’s comments came hours after the court overturned the fundamental right to abortion established nearly 50 years ago, a stunning reversal that leaves states free to drastically reduce access to or even outlaw abortion.
“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division,” Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. wrote.
The vote was 6 to 3 to uphold a restrictive Mississippi law. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., though, criticized his conservative colleagues for taking the additional step of overturning Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which had reaffirmed the right to abortion.
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Patagonia to pay bail for workers protesting abortion decision
Patagonia will cover bail for its employees who “peacefully protest for reproductive justice,” the company announced in a statement Friday, following the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v. Wade.
The benefit extends to all part-time and full-time workers and includes training for those who choose to protest, as well as time off to vote.
“Caring for employees extends beyond basic health insurance, so we take a more holistic approach to coverage and support overall wellness to which every human has a right,” Patagonia’s statement said. “That means offering employees the dignity of access to reproductive health care.”
The bail policy, which has been in place for years, applies to employees who have taken a nonviolent civil disobedience class, according to a Patagonia spokesperson.
The company also said on Friday that it covers abortion care through its health plan for employees in the United States, adding that it would pay for travel, lodging and food for workers in areas where access is restricted.
Patagonia joins a number of businesses — such as Walt Disney, JPMorgan Chase and Dick’s Sporting Goods — that said Friday they would cover travel costs for employees seeking abortions.
Patagonia did not immediately respond to a request from The Washington Post for comment Friday evening.
Source: washingtonpost.com
