Those speaking out today were signatories to an amicus brief that Reed Smith filed in the U.S. Supreme Court on March 28 in the consolidated cases of Idaho v. United States and Moyle v. United States, which will hear oral argument tomorrow. Reed Smith’s brief details how state restrictions on reproductive rights are leading to maternity care deserts and negatively impacting businesses and the economy.
Among those speaking out today were the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce (USWCC) and the Small Business Majority, two of the largest business orgs in the nation.
U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce
"This case demonstrates the potentially detrimental effect on the ability of physicians to use their medical judgment in providing emergency care. No state, including the State of Idaho, should be able to usurp that judgment and insert itself within the patient-doctor relationship. As our brief details, restrictions on maternal health services are threatening lives and livelihoods, while costing billions in lost opportunities for women in business."
– Charmagne Manning, USWCC President
Small Business Majority
"Women-owned small businesses, especially those owned by women of color, have emerged as the fastest growing sector of our economy. But restrictions on access to abortion and reproductive healthcare are holding them back and creating barriers for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Our research has found that there is a clear connection between access to reproductive health and women's ability to advance in their careers and start their own businesses," Shanklin said. "It is critical that the Supreme Court recognizes that restrictive and repressive abortion bans are hurting small businesses and our economy."
– Rachel Shanklin, National Women's Entrepreneurship Director for Small Business Majority
Also speaking out today about the economic impacts of Idaho’s law were leading representatives of Bumble Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., Lyft, and Yelp, which issued the following statements to the public:
Bumble Inc.
"Bumble Inc. remains steadfast that abortion is healthcare, and healthcare is a human right. We will continue not just to provide our workforce with access to reproductive healthcare, but to speak out—and speak loudly—against the retrogression of women’s rights.
We believe in the right to choose and to exercise control over our bodies, especially when it comes to keeping women healthy and safe. The freedom of family planning is critical to equality for all—and that includes equitable access to abortion care."
– Liz Monteleone, Interim General Counsel at Bumble Inc.
Levi Strauss & Co.
"We stand strongly against policies that restrict access to necessary and, at times, lifesaving reproductive healthcare. Ensuring our workforce and their families have safe, equitable access to these services is not only a critical business issue, it is the right thing to do for our people."
– Tracy Layney, Chief Human Resources Officer, Levi Strauss & Co.
Lyft
"The federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act has ensured that every American has access to emergency medical services, including life-saving reproductive healthcare. Removing these protections puts patients’ lives at risk and places both doctor and patient in legal jeopardy—potentially along with friends, family, and even their drivers."
– Kristin Sverchek, President, Lyft
Yelp
"Yelp has long been a strong advocate for equality in the workplace and believes restricting women's healthcare rights undermines gender equality and puts employees’ lives at risk. The Idaho law creates maternity care deserts that endanger women’s health and safety, and diminishes the strength and diversity of the workforce. As a company that supports our employees' access to necessary healthcare, regardless of where they live, we are deeply concerned about the potentially tragic consequences of this law."
The Reed Smith Brief was co-authored, pro bono, by Reed Smith partners Patrick Yingling, Sarah Cummings Stewart, and Jim Martin, and associates Sarah Johansen and Martha Kiela.
"As our brief details, this law, and others like it, are having a devastating impact on businesses, workers and the flow of interstate commerce," said Yingling "Among our primary concerns is that strict legal restrictions on reproductive health care are creating vast maternity care deserts, which are becoming alarmingly common in the U.S."
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on the consolidated case by late June or early July.
Reed Smith’s business brief in Idaho v. United States and Moyle v. United States follows another amicus brief that the team filed in the Texas Supreme Court Zurawski v. Texas on behalf of more than 50 leading businesses, organizations and individuals, including Bumble and USWCC. The Texas business brief likewise argues that ambiguities in the state’s abortion bans are having a negative impact on the Texas economy – including an estimated $14.5 billion in lost revenue each year.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
For more information, please visit reedsmith.com.
