Nancy Pelosi Claims Supreme Court ‘Took a Wrecking Ball’ to Women’s Rights

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) claimed Friday that the Supreme Court “took a wrecking ball” to women’s rights by overturning Roe v. Wade — sending the decision back to the states — ahead of the House’s action on the Women’s Health Protection Act and the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act.

“Just three weeks ago, the Supreme Court took a wrecking ball to the fundamental rights by overturning Roe v. Wade,” she said on the steps of the Capitol, calling it “outrageous” that women must fight for the “right” to terminate their pregnancy.

“It is outrageous that 50 years later, women must again fight for our most basic rights against an extremist Court and Republican Party. Disturbingly, congressional Republicans want to go even further than the Court as they plot to criminalize abortion in all 50 states,” the 82-year-old claimed, proudly previewing the House passage of “landmark” bills to “make the essential protections of Roe the law of the land.”

Pelosi urged Americans to make abortion a central issue heading into the midterms, calling for two more Democrat senators, which would allow Democrats to eliminate the filibuster and “make reproductive freedom the law of the land.”

“My friends, House Democrats are here on the steps of the United States Capitol – next to the Senate, across from the Supreme Court – to loudly declare: hands off of our reproductive health!” Pelosi declared, later thanking pro-choice groups for their support, including Catholics for Choice and other “people of faith” who support a woman’s ability to terminate her pregnancy:

Despite Pelosi’s assertions, states restricting or banning abortion provide exceptions for the life of the mother. Further, a Fox News poll released in May found that most Americans believe abortion should be either “mostly” or “always” illegal. What is more, a recent YouGov/The Economist survey found that most believe abortion should be banned by the end of the first trimester.