Family Values @ Work Executive Director Wendy Chun-Hoon Statement on Candidate for SCOTUS Vacancy

“What most concerns the Family Values @ Work network—and should concern everyone else as well—is Barrett’s staunch perspective of being an originalist. This perspective means that so many of the marginalized communities that constitute the majority of today’s working families were not considered when the Constitution was written, by and for cis, white men.  

“Included in families today are a rich tapestry of Black and brown people; people of various gender identities; and also immigrants and non-citizens. Many of their rights and concerns were not on the minds of the Constitution’s authors.  

“Roe v Wade declared that we have a constitutional right to abortion. Abortion is one of many health services covered by the Affordable Care Act. Barrett criticized the 2012 SCOTUS decision that upheld the ACA. And she supported President Trump’s public charge immigration law, greatly obstructing immigrants’ pathway to citizenship.

“Working families need paid sick and safe days, and family medical leave insurance with job protection. They need access to affordable and accessible health care and safe and quality childcare. And now, as the nation is being devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, working families need to know that the next addition to the land’s highest court won’t prejudge what rights they deserve based on who they are, who they love, or the original limits of an evolving document.”

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