In recognition of the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court case which legalized abortion in America, the Arizona House and Senate, along with Governor Brewer issued proclamations denouncing the unconstitutional decision.
View the proclamations here:
The following legislators signed the pro-life proclamation:
Senate
- Nancy Barto
- Andy Biggs
- Judy Burges
- Rich Crandall
- Chester Crandell
- Adam Driggs
- Gail Griffin
- John McComish
- Al Melvin
- Rick Murphy
- Steve Pierce
- Don Shooter
- Kelli Ward
- Bob Worsley
- Steve Yarbrough
- Kimberly Yee
House of Representatives
- John Allen
- Brenda Barton
- Sonny Borrelli
- Paul Boyer
- Doug Coleman
- Lupe Contreras
- Eddie Farnsworth
- Thomas Forese
- Doris Goodale
- David Gowan
- Rick Gray
- Lydia Hernandez
- John Kavanagh
- Adam Kwasman
- Debbie Lesko
- David Livingston
- Phil Lovas
- J.D. Mesnard
- Darin Mitchell
- Steve Montenegro
- Justin Olson
- Ethan Orr
- Warren Petersen
- Justin Pierce
- Frank Pratt
- Bob Robson
- Carl Seel
- T.J. Shope
- Steve Smith
- David Stevens
- Bob Thorpe
- Andy Tobin
- Kelly Townsend
The text of the proclamations read:
“Whereas, on January 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled in the cases of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton that states may not enforce laws prohibiting abortion; and
Whereas, in the forty years since those decisions, the lives of over fifty million preborn children have been terminated; and
Whereas, many mothers have been physically and psychologically harmed by abortion; and
Whereas, women have faced dangerous conditions and substandard medical care in abortion clinics across the country, including at least one Arizona clinic where a woman needlessly lost her life after a botched abortion; and
Whereas, countless women and men live with the emotional scars of the tragic and painful choice to have an abortion; and
Whereas, no right to abortion is rooted in the traditions of the American people and no national right to abortion is conferred by the Constitution of the United States; and
Whereas, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton have no basis in the text or history of the Constitution of the United States; and
Whereas, human life founded on inherent and inalienable rights is entitled to the full protection of law and due process and the U.S. Supreme Court’s abortion decisions have failed to protect the lives of preborn children.
Therefore
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Arizona:
- That the Members of the House of Representatives and Senate express their sorrow at the loss of life and the physical and psychological harm caused by forty years of legalized abortion.
- That the Members of the House of Representatives and Senate shall make every effort to secure for preborn children at every stage of development all the rights, privileges, and immunities available to persons, citizens, and residents of this State, until the decisional interpretations of the United States Constitution by the United States Supreme Court provide protection for every human being.
- That the Members of the House of Representatives and Senate shall make the health and safety of women in this State a priority by requiring that abortion providers meet standards that protect women from unsanitary facilities and unsafe practices.”
The Governor’s proclamation concluded with:
Now therefore, I, Janice K. Brewer, Governor of the State of Arizona, do hereby proclaim my continued dedication and commitment to protect the health of women and lives of preborn children, and to steadfastly pursue decisional interpretations of the United States Constitution by the United States Supreme Court that provide protection for every human being.