Politicians React to SCOTUS Ruling on Texas Abortion Law

The justices stuck down parts of a Texas law that would have closed clinics.

ByABC News
June 27, 2016, 3:10 PM

— -- Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is praising the Supreme Court’s ruling on a 2013 Texas law that would have greatly reduced the number of abortion clinics in the state.

Earlier today Clinton voiced her satisfaction with the decision on Twitter.

“SCOTUS's decision is a victory for women in Texas and across America. Safe abortion should be a right—not just on paper, but in reality,” Clinton tweeted.

Clinton argued that the decision "is a reminder of how much is at stake in this election.”

“We need a President who will defend women’s health and rights and appoint Supreme Court justices who recognize Roe v. Wade as settled law,” according to an official statement released by her campaign.

Clinton also attacked Donald Trump's position on abortion. The presumptive Republican nominee has not commented on the Supreme Court decision.

Overall, Democratic lawmakers celebrated the 5-3 ruling, which is a major win for pro-choice advocates.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has said he would vote for Clinton in the November election but has yet to formally suspend his presidential campaign, also applauded the ruling.

“After all the progress we have made on women’s rights, we cannot go back to the days when women in America did not have the right to control their own bodies,” he said.

Former Republican presidential candidate and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz called the decision “profoundly disappointing.”

“The Supreme Court sided with abortion extremists who care more about providing abortion-on-demand than they do protecting women’s health,” Cruz said in a statement.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio also weighed in on the ruling.

“I'm incredibly disappointed in today's #SCOTUS ruling on abortion clinics in TX. I'll continue to fight for life and protect the unborn,” he tweeted.

Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Illinois, who has been labeled the “most endangered Republican” this election cycle, tweeted in favor of the ruling.

Similarly to Clinton, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi both called the ruling a “victory” for women.

The intended law would have imposed significant restrictions on access to abortion clinics, mainly by requiring the clinics to hold similar standards to that of walk-in surgical centers.

The Supreme Court struck down the Texas law, with the majority opinion saying the law puts an undue burden on a woman’s legal right to choose.