62-year-old woman worried she can't get abortions after Roe overturned

Congressional Democrats met on Capitol Hill on Monday, July 18, for a news conference to renew efforts to expand the Supreme Court. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey spoke to advocate for women– of all ages– who may want access to an abortion. "A month ago, reactionaries decided we don’t have a Constitutional right to an abortion," began Coleman.

Coleman emphasized the importance of abortions for "fully adult women," citing a personal conservation she said she had with a 62-year-old colleague who she "worked with very closely for the last 7 years."

"At the age of 62, she was still having a period and was still sexually active, with grandchildren," proclaimed Coleman. "And she said, 'what if I got pregnant? There’s no way at 62 I would have been in a position to really be a healthy mommy to a new baby.'"

"So not only is this impacting the decisions of young women and the protection of young girls and others who’ve been assaulted and raped, but it also impacts a decision of fully adult women who have this story to tell," said Coleman.

"The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives," the Supreme Court decision read in June when the opinion was released.

Justice Alito delivered the opinion, saying that issue with Roe was on constitutional grounds and that the 1973 decision rook away the rights of each state to make the determination for themselves.