Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) officially joined an amicus brief in support of Dobbs v. Jackson, a case headed to the Supreme Court. 

In Dobbs v. Jackson, SCOTUS granted review to a challenge of a Mississippi law prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks. The question before the Supreme Court is whether all pre-viability prohobitions on elective abortions are unconstitutional. In the amicus brief, Rep. Hern and the other signatory Members argue that SCOTUS should uphold the constitutionality of pre-viability restrictions on abortion and uphold the Mississippi law or return it to the lower courts for full consideration. 

“I’ve seen in my own family the importance of life and ensuring every child, no matter their disability, has the right to life,” said Rep. Hern.“I’ve told my story before, but spina bifida runs in my family. My mother, sister, and nieces were all told by doctors that they should abort their children because of the risk of spina bifida – each one made the decision to protect life, and as a result, our family has grown in love, kindness, and empathy. Every choice to protect a human life should be celebrated. I am glad to give my support to this amicus brief and I look forward to this important decision from the Supreme Court.” 

The amicus brief points out that SCOTUS has previously failed to clarify viability or tie it to any legal and medical principles, and that federal courts have mistakenly interpreted viability as a hard line to strike down arguments. The brief points out that fetuses feel pain as early as 12 weeks. 

The amicus brief is signed by 44 US Senators and 189 US Representatives.

Amici Curiae from the Senate include Roger F. Wicker (MS), Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS), John Barrasso (WY), Marsha Blackburn (TN), Roy Blunt (MO), John Boozman (AR), Mike Braun (IN), Richard Burr (NC), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (LA), John Cornyn (TX), Tom Cotton (AR), Kevin Cramer (ND), Mike Crapo (ID), Steve Daines (MT), Joni K. Ernst (IA), Deb Fischer (NE), Lindsey O. Graham (SC), Charles E. Grassley (IA), Bill Hagerty (TN), John Hoeven (ND), James M. Inhofe (OK), Ron Johnson (WI), John Kennedy (LA), James Lankford (OK), Cynthia M. Lummis (WY), Roger Marshall, M.D. (KS), Mitch McConnell (KY), Jerry Moran (KS), Rand Paul, M.D. (KY), Rob Portman (OH), James E. Risch (ID), Mitt Romney (UT), M. Michael Rounds (SD), Marco Rubio (FL), Ben Sasse (NE), Rick Scott (FL), Tim Scott (SC), Richard C. Shelby (AL), Dan Sullivan (AK), John Thune (SD), Thom Tillis (NC), Pat Toomey (PA), Tommy Tuberville (AL), and Todd Young (IN). 

Amici Curiae from the House include Christopher H. Smith (NJ-04), Steve Palazzo (MS-04), Trent Kelly (MS-01), Michael Guest (MS-03), Robert B. Aderholt (AL-04), Rick W. Allen (GA-12), Jodey C. Arrington (TX-19), Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL), Brian Babin, D.D.S. (TX-36), Don Bacon (NE-02), James R. Baird (IN-04), Troy Balderson (OH-12), Jim Banks (IN-03), Andy Barr (KY-06), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Stephanie Bice (OK-05), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Gus M. Bilirakis (FL-12), Dan Bishop (NC-09), Lauren Boebert (CO-03), Mike Bost (IL-12), Kevin Brady (TX-08), Mo Brooks (AL-05), Ken Buck (CO-04), Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08), Ted Budd (NC-13), Tim Burchett (TN-02), Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26), Ken Calvert (CA-42), Kat Cammack (FL-03), Jerry L. Carl (AL-01), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01), John R. Carter (TX-31), Steve Chabot (OH-01), Liz Cheney (WY-AL), Ben Cline (VA-06), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Andrew S. Clyde (GA-09), Tom Cole (OK-04), James Comer (KY-01), Rick Crawford (AR-01), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), John R. Curtis (UT-03), Warren Davidson (OH-08), Rodney Davis (IL-13), Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Byron Donalds (FL-19), Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Neal P. Dunn, M.D. (FL-02), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Ron Estes (KS-04), Pat Fallon (TX-04), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), A. Drew Ferguson, IV (GA-03), Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01), Virginia Foxx (NC-05), C. Scott Franklin (FL-15), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Mike Gallagher (WI-08), Andrew R. Garbarino (NY-02), Mike Garcia (CA-25), Bob Gibbs (OH-07), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Bob Good (VA-05), Lance Gooden (TX-05), Tony Gonzales (TX-23), Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04), Kay Granger (TX-12), Garret Graves (LA-06), Sam Graves (MO-06), Mark E. Green, M.D. (TN-07), H. Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Jim Hagedorn (MN-01), Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01), Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Vicky Hartzler (MO-04), Kevin Hern (OK-01), Yvette Herrell (NM-02), Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03), Jody Hice (GA-10), Clay Higgins (LA-03), French Hill (AR-02), Ashley Hinson (IA-01), Richard Hudson (NC-08), Bill Huizenga (MI-02), Darrell Issa (CA-50), Ronny L. Jackson (TX-13), Chris Jacobs (NY-27), Bill Johnson (OH-06), Dusty Johnson (SD-AL), Mike Johnson (LA-04), Jim Jordan (OH-04), John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Fred Keller (PA-12), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Adam Kinzinger (IL-16), Darin LaHood (IL-18), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Robert E. Latta (OH-05), Jake LaTurner (KS-02), Debbie Lesko (AZ-08), Julia Letlow (LA-05), Billy Long (MO-07), Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), Frank D. Lucas (OK-03), Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03), Tracey Mann (KS-01), Thomas Massie (KY-04), Brian Mast (FL-18), Kevin McCarthy (CA-23), Lisa McClain (MI-10), Tom McClintock (CA-04), Patrick McHenry (NC-10), David B. McKinley, P.E. (WV-01), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Peter Meijer (MI-03), Carol D. Miller (WV-03), Mary E. Miller (IL-15), Mariannette J. Miller-Meeks (IA-02), John R. Moolenaar (MI-04), Alex X. Mooney (WV-02), Barry Moore (AL-02), Blake Moore (UT-01), Markwayne Mullin (OK-02), Gregory F. Murphy, M.D. (NC-03), Troy E. Nehls (TX-22), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Devin Nunes (CA-22), Burgess Owens (UT-04), Gary Palmer (AL-06), Greg Pence (IN-06), August Pfluger (TX-11), Bill Posey (FL-08), Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), Tom Rice (SC-07), Hal Rogers (KY-05), Mike D. Rogers (AL-03), John Rose (TN-06), Matthew Rosendale, Sr. (MT-AL), David Rouzer (NC-07), Chip Roy (TX-21), John H. Rutherford (FL-04), Steve Scalise (LA-01), Austin Scott (GA-08), Pete Sessions (TX-17), Adrian Smith (NE-03), Jason Smith (MO-08), Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), Victoria Spartz (IN-05), Pete Stauber (MN-08), Michelle Steel (CA-48), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Bryan Steil (WI-01), W. Gregory Steube (FL-17), Chris Stewart (UT-02), Van Taylor (TX-03), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-14), Claudia Tenney (NY-22), Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-15), Tom Tiffany (WI-07), William R. Timmons, IV (SC-04), Michael R. Turner (OH-10), David G. Valadao (CA-21), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), Ann Wagner (MO-02), Tim Walberg (MI-07), Jackie Walorski (IN-02), Michael Waltz (FL-06), Randy K. Weber (TX-14), 10a Daniel Webster (FL-11), Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M. (OH-02), Bruce Westerman (AR-04), Roger Williams (TX-25), Joe Wilson (SC-02), Robert J. Wittman (VA-01), Steve Womack (AR-03), and Lee Zeldin (NY-01).

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