News Release
Statement by Women’s Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon on the US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade:
“The right to reproductive freedom – which includes the right to access legal abortion services – is fundamental to women’s autonomy, health outcomes and economic security. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau is the only federal agency authorized by Congress to represent the needs and interests of working women. As such, the Women’s Bureau is uniquely positioned to safeguard the needs of working women and advocate for their equality, which includes access to safe reproductive health options such as abortion, contraception and comprehensive maternity care.
“Today’s Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will allow states to ban or significantly restrict access to abortion immediately, often without any exceptions. This means women will lose access to safe, reliable and accessible reproductive medical care. It is an outcome that will have a catastrophic impact on women’s employment and economic security.
“Research has shown – repeatedly and consistently – that reproductive autonomy is linked directly to a woman’s ability to get an education, participate in the labor force and increase their earning potential. It has also helped to narrow the gender wage gap.
“For more than 100 years, the Women’s Bureau has been committed to advancing the status of working women. Today that means an explicit acknowledgement that access to abortion and all other personal reproductive choices is an issue of health and personal liberty as well as an economic issue that determines the welfare of working women.”
