President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged the Congress to protect abortion rights in the United States even if the Supreme Court does not overturn Roe v. Wade. The Commander-in-Chief’s statement came as the US Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Court may be be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 judgement. 

Biden, in a White House press release, said that ‘Roe has been the law of the land for almost fifty years, and basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned’. The judgement legalized abortion nationwide. 

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The Democrat further urged US’ elected officials to protect a woman’s right to choose. 

“It will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November. At the federal level, we will need more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, which I will work to pass and sign into law,” he further added.

The leaked draft majority opinion accessed by POLITICO showed that the SCOTUS believes that “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start.” 

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“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” the document titled ‘Opinion of the Court’ stated. As per the procedure, the Supreme Court justices hold preliminary votes on cases shortly after argument and a member of the majority writes a draft of the court’s opinion. 

A decision to overrule Roe would lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states and could have huge ramifications for this year’s elections.

Biden reaffirmed his administration’s stand on the issue. 

“We said that Roe is based on “a long line of precedent recognizing ‘the Fourteenth Amendment’s concept of personal liberty’… against government interference with intensely personal decisions,” he said. 

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Joe Biden further added that he directed the ‘Gender Policy Council and White House Counsel’s Office to prepare options for an Administration response to the continued attack on abortion and reproductive rights’ soon after the Texas abortion ban was enacted. 

“We will be ready when any ruling is issued.”