Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf
Page Number: 126

Cite as:  597 U. S. ____ (2022) 

3 

KAVANAUGH, J., concurring 

States or Congress—like the numerous other difficult ques-
tions of American social and economic policy that the Con-
stitution does not address. 

Because the Constitution is neutral on the issue of abor-
tion,  this  Court  also  must  be  scrupulously  neutral.    The 
nine  unelected  Members  of  this  Court  do  not  possess  the 
constitutional authority to override the democratic process 
and to decree either a pro-life or a pro-choice abortion policy 
for all 330 million people in the United States. 

Instead of adhering to the Constitution’s neutrality, the
Court  in  Roe  took  sides  on  the  issue  and  unilaterally  de-
creed that abortion was legal throughout the United States
up to the point of viability (about 24 weeks of pregnancy). 
The Court’s decision today properly returns the Court to a 
position of neutrality and restores the people’s authority to 
address the issue of abortion through the processes of dem-
ocratic self-government established by the Constitution. 

Some amicus briefs argue that the Court today should not
only overrule Roe and return to a position of judicial neu-
trality on abortion, but should go further and hold that the 
Constitution  outlaws  abortion  throughout  the  United
States.  No Justice of this Court has ever advanced that po-
sition.  I respect those who advocate for that position, just
as  I  respect  those  who  argue  that  this  Court  should  hold 
that  the  Constitution  legalizes  pre-viability  abortion 
throughout  the  United  States.  But  both  positions  are 
wrong as a constitutional matter, in my view.  The Consti-
tution neither outlaws abortion nor legalizes abortion.

To be clear, then, the Court’s decision today does not out-
law  abortion  throughout  the  United  States.    On  the  con-
trary, the Court’s decision properly leaves the question of 
abortion for the people and their elected representatives in
the democratic process.  Through that democratic process,
the people and their representatives may decide to allow or
limit abortion.  As Justice Scalia stated, the “States may, if
they wish, permit abortion on demand, but the Constitution