Ohio 13th Congressional District Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (D-13), an Akron Democrat

Rep. Emilia Sykes Speaks on House Floor on June 24, 2025: "Dobbs Decision Set Wave of Chaos, Cruelty, and Control in Motion"

WATCH: Rep. Sykes' Full Remarks from the Floor of the United States House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tuesday, June 24, 2025 marked the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 24, 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade per its controversial Dobbs decision. On this historic and tragic day three years ago, the nation's high court stripped women of federal protection for abortion access and gave respective states the authority to legislate abortion and reproductive rights. Ohio voters, in November of 2023, passed an Issue 1 referendum that enshrined the legal right to abortion in the Ohio Constitution, but proponents of Issue 1 fear that state and national measures are underway to undermine Issue 1 and that a national abortion ban is potentially looming.

U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13), a respected Black Akron Democrat who represents Ohio's 13th congressional district and one of three Black women in congress from Ohio, delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday condemning the Dobbs decision ruling and committing to re-establishing reproductive rights in Ohio and across the country.

“Three years ago, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ripping away a constitutional right that generations of women had relied on for nearly half a century,” said Rep. Sykes on the House Floor. “In that moment, the Court did not just revoke a legal precedent – they set in motion a wave of chaos, cruelty, and control. What followed was a full-scale assault on reproductive health care: abortion, contraception, IVF, even access to emergency care.”

“At the heart of this fight is something bigger than politics – It’s about freedom,” Rep. Sykes continued. “As the representative of Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, I will keep standing up for that freedom. I will keep working to ensure our laws reflect our values. We must trust women. We must protect our rights. And we must never forget that democracy only works if we honor the will of the people.”

Rep. Sykes has long been an advocate for reproductive health care and has fought for reproductive freedom her entire career. Earlier this year, Rep. Sykes was appointed Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus’ Reproductive Justice Task Force.

In March, following an injunction from a federal judge, Rep. Sykes (OH-13) reintroduced a resolution to reaffirm access to emergency abortion care for all Americans. This resolution reaffirms that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) protects access to emergency abortion care in every state, and that all women, no matter where they live, should be able to receive the emergency care they need, including abortion.

In February, Rep. Sykes co-led the Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation (SAD) Act to crack down on the use of misleading advertising and disinformation by crisis pregnancy centers. Crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) often falsely and deliberately advertise themselves to potential clients as comprehensive reproductive health care providers. Each year, thousands of people seeking objective and medically sound reproductive care instead receive inaccurate information about abortion and contraception from these fake clinics. The SAD Act directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prohibit false advertising of abortion services and gives the FTC the authority to enforce the regulations and penalize organizations in violation.

Last Congress, Rep. Sykes co-sponsored the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, historic legislation to support mothers and combat the public health crisis of maternal mortality in the United States. The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country, and it’s rapidly getting worse. Comprehensive federal action is needed to end this crisis and save moms’ lives.

The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act makes critical investments to address social determinants of health, provides funding for community-based organizations, diversifies the perinatal health workforce, and expands access to maternal mental health care. It also addresses the effects of climate change on maternal and infant health, and improves data collection processes.

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