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Transcript/ScriptWashington Week Ahead
HEADLINE: US Senate to Vote on Abortions Rights Bill
TEASER: Leaked draft of U.S. Supreme Court opinion appears to signal end to Roe v. Wade
PUBLISHED AT: 5/8/2022 at
BYLINE: Arash Arabasadi
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER: AP/ REUTERS/ ABC “This Week”/ Louisiana House of Representatives/ WJLA
PRODUCER: Arash Arabasadi
SCRIPT EDITORS: MPage sv
NOTE:
VIDEO SOURCE (S):
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO __
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VID APPROVED BY:
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UPDATE: ))
((INTRO))
[[ Democrats are moving forward this week on a Senate vote on a bill that would codify abortion rights into federal law, in the wake of a leaked draft from the Supreme Court that signals an end to the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. As Arash Arabasadi, the legislation is expected to be blocked by Senate Republicans.]]
((VAR, DEMOS, SCOTUS, WASHINGTON, REUTERS, 05/03))
((NATS POPS, DEMONSTRATION))
((NARRATOR))
The federal law that ensured woman’s fundamental right to an abortion looks to be coming to an end in the United States.
((VAR, DRAFT OPINION/JUSTICES, REUTERS, 05/04))
((NARRATOR))
It started last week with a leaked draft of an as-yet unsettled Supreme Court opinion. As of today, that draft has the backing of members of the high court’s conservative supermajority to strike down Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that legalized abortion throughout the U.S. Without Roe, the decision rests with individual states. Abortion opponents say bans reflect the will of the voters.
[RADIO TRACK: Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas speaking Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”]
((mandatory cg ABC “This Week”))
((Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Republican))
“Each state has differing views on where we should have (been) on abortion restrictions. In Arkansas, it’s a policy of Arkansas that we protect the life of the unborn. And so, yes, if Roe versus Wade is reversed, then we would have a trigger-law in place to protect the life of the unborn.”
((VAR, PRO CHOICE/LIFE DEMOS, WASHINGTON, REUTERS, 2020/2019))
((NARRATOR))
Ideological battles have waged for nearly five decades following the 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade. Roe and the major ruling that followed, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, were hot topics at confirmation hearings for Supreme Court justices, who then called the rulings established precedent.
[RADIO TRACK: Then-nominees to the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, and Samuel Alito speaking at their confirmation hearings as provided by Reuters.]
((Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Then-Supreme Court Nominee))
“I have no agenda to try to overrule Casey. I have an agenda to stick to the rule of law and decide cases as they come.”
((Brett Kavanaugh, Then-Supreme Court Nominee))
“One of the most important things to keep in mind about Roe v. Wade is that it has been reaffirmed many times over the past 45 years.”
((Neil Gorsuch, Then-Supreme Court Nominee))
“Roe versus Wade, decided in 1973, is a precedent of the United States Supreme Court.”
((Samuel Alito, Then-Supreme Court Nominee))
“Courts should respect the judgments and the wisdom that are embodied in prior judicial decisions.”
((VAR, FENCES GO UP, SCOTUS, WASHINGTON, AP/WJLA, 05/04))
((mandatory cg WJLA))
((NARRATOR))
Workers quickly built fences around the Supreme Court following the leaked draft that was written by Associate Justice Samuel Alito. Abortion-rights advocates warn the country will take a huge step back if the high court strikes-down Roe.
[RADIO TRACK: Sunday, on ABC’s “This Week,” Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar said this should be a rallying cry to the ballot box.]
((mandatory cg ABC “This Week”))
((Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Democrat))
“A new generation of women are looking at this and saying, ‘Wait a minute. My mom and my grandma are going to have more rights than I’m going to have going forward? I’m going to have to look at a patchwork of state laws with 15 of them already looking to ban medication abortion?’ Which is what people do online and things like that. They’re going to look at this and say, ‘What world do I live in?’”
((VAR, ABORTION DRUGS, TUSCALOOSA, AL, AP, 04/16))
((NARRATOR))
More than half of abortions in the United States are medical rather than surgical procedures. Republican-led states are increasingly moving to ban access to those medications, which also treat a miscarriage. Some states look to ban abortion even in cases of rape or incest.
((VAR, HEARING, BATON ROUGE, LA, REUTERS/LHOR, 05/06))
((mandatory cg Louisiana House of Representatives))
((NARRATOR))
With Louisiana, just days after the Supreme Court leak, moving to advance legislation classifying abortion as a homicide for the mother and health care provider.
((US MAP OF ABORTION ACCESS, AP))
((NARRATOR))
Dozens of other states may follow suit without Roe as the guiding legal principle of the land.
((VAR, DEMOS, SCOTUS, WASHINGTON, REUTERS, 05/03))
((NARRATOR))
The official ruling from the Supreme Court could come as early as June. Arash Arabasadi, VOA News.
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Washington D. C.
Embargo DateMay 8, 2022 15:45 EDT
BylineArash Arabasadi, VOA News.
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
