NEW: AHEAD OF DOBBS ANNIVERSARY, REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM GROUPS JOIN FIGHT FOR SUPREME COURT TERM LIMITS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
JUNE 10, 2024

PRESS CONTACT:
Sarah Harris, [email protected]

Reproductive Freedom for All (Formerly NARAL), Ultraviolet, Women’s March, All* Above All Join Over 50 groups to Support TERM Act

NEW YORK—Today, Ultraviolet, Women’s March, All* Above All, and Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL) announced their endorsement of the Supreme Court Tenure Establishment and Retirement Modernization Act of 2023 (TERM Act; H.R.5566) and called on members of Congress to cosponsor the bill. The announcement comes just a few weeks before the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Dobbs overturned Roe v. Wade, reversing 50 years of precedent and opening the door for anti-abortion state legislators to attack reproductive rights. Twenty-one states now ban abortion or restrict the procedure earlier in pregnancy than before Dobbs.

The TERM Act, re-introduced by U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04), would create 18-year terms for current and future Supreme Court justices. The United States remains the only modern constitutional democracy in the world without term or age limits and 49 of 50 states have rejected life tenure for their highest courts. Supreme Court term limits are popular with the American people, supported by 7 in 10 voters, and would help ensure the Court remains broadly representative of the values of the American people.

“Two years ago, the Supreme Court’s right-wing justices struck a tremendous blow to our reproductive freedom. Today, one in three women live in a state without abortion access. If we don’t do something to stop the MAGA justices, they will continue to attack our most basic rights. That’s why it’s crucial to have voices from all across the country demand Supreme Court term limits,” said Christina Harvey, Executive Director of Stand Up America. “We applaud Reproductive Freedom for All, Ultraviolet, and Women’s March for their dedication to reproductive rights in the face of a Supreme Court hell-bent on attacking our freedoms. We look forward to fighting alongside these champions to advance this crucial legislation.”

“Let’s be clear: Senate Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell, hijacked our Courts – stealing two Supreme Court seats and packing the bench with ideological extremists and political operatives in service of a radical agenda: overturning Roe, reducing access to abortion, ending marriage equality and eliminating necessary protections for women and people of color,” explained Nicole Relalado, Vice President of Campaigns at UltraViolet. “They will not stop until they turn back a generation of rights and progress even as the overwhelming majority of Americans reject this agenda. Term limits on Supreme Court justices are crucial to ensuring that extremists can’t stay on the bench forever – and that our Courts reflect the will of the American people.”

“MAGA Republicans stacked the Supreme Court with anti-abortion extremists who refuse to recognize our fundamental rights. In the two years since the Supreme Court ended Roe v. Wade, we see a new horrifying story every day about what the abortion bans that ruling opened the door for are doing to real people. We cannot allow corrupt and unchecked judges to continue wreaking havoc on our communities,” said Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju. “Term limits are a crucial step towards restoring the legitimacy of our judiciary and ensuring that anti-abortion justices cannot spend decades doing the bidding of extremists. We’re proud to fight alongside our partners and champions in Congress for the TERM Act.”

“Any day now, the Supreme Court will decide the fate of high stakes cases that could have life-or-death implications for women and pregnant people across the country. Had the Supreme Court not overturned Roe v. Wade and undermined federal protections, these cases would have never made their way up to SCOTUS in the first place, and the fact that they did demonstrates just how broken our nation’s judicial system is. Supreme Court term limits are not only wildly popular with the American public, but they would safeguard our democracy and keep extremist, anti-abortion zealots from hijacking our courts, colluding with the highest Court in the nation and tarnishing the institution it represents. We applaud the reintroduction of the TERM Act and urge Congress to uphold the will of the people and enact term limits for Supreme Court Justices,” said Rachel Carmona, Executive Director, Women’s March.

“Anti-democratic forces are weaponizing our courts and seizing power by any means necessary, including robbing us of our freedom to make decisions about the families we want to build,” said Nourbese Flint, President of All* Above All. “Right now, two more cases before the Supreme Court could further decimate the landscape for abortion access just two years after the Dobbs decision upended the right to abortion nationally. Setting term limits is a step towards restoring public trust in a Supreme Court whose power has gone unchecked for far too long. To rebuild our democracy and reimagine a more just, more representative future where we can all make the decisions that are best for us, we need better than nine politically appointed justices who serve for life.”

In recent months, a growing number of House Democrats have co-sponsored the TERM Act, including Oversight Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerry Nadler, Rules Committee Ranking Member James McGovern, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, and President of the House Democratic Freshman Class Robert Garcia. The complete list of the co-sponsors can be found here.

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About Stand Up America
Stand Up America is a progressive advocacy organization with nearly two million community members across the country. Focused on grassroots advocacy to stand up to corruption and voter suppression and build a more representative democracy, Stand Up America has driven over 1.7 million calls to lawmakers, registered over 100,000 voters, mobilized thousands of protestors, and contacted tens of millions of voters.

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