PROCLAMATION

OF THE

PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION

WHEREAS, in 1970 Washington State voters approved Referendum 20, which legalized

abortion in Washington State; and

WHEREAS, on January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (7–2) in Roe v. Wade that

unduly restrictive state regulation of abortion is unconstitutional. The Court held

that a set of Texas statutes criminalizing abortion in most instances violated a

woman’s constitutional right of privacy, which it found to be implicit in the

liberty guarantee of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment,

“…nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due

process of law”; and

WHEREAS, in 1991, Washington State voters approved Initiative 120, which declared a

woman's right to choose physician-performed abortion prior to fetal viability and

further expanded and protected access to abortion in the state if Roe v. Wade was

overturned; and

WHEREAS, comprehensive abortion care is included in the list of essential health care services

published by the World Health Organization in 2020; and

WHEREAS, according to the World Health Organization, “[l]ack of access to safe, affordable,

timely and respectful abortion care, and the stigma associated with abortion, pose

risks to women’s physical and mental well-being throughout the life-course.

Inaccessibility of quality abortion care risks violating a range of human rights of

women and girls, including the right to life; the right to the highest attainable

standard of physical and mental health; the right to benefit from scientific

progress and its realization; the right to decide freely and responsibly on the

number, spacing and timing of children; and the right to be free from torture,

cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment”; and

WHEREAS, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States used their decision in

Dobbs vs. Jackson Woman’s Health Organization to strike down Roe v. Wade,

ruling that the Due Process Clause and Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth

Amendment do not apply to an individual’s right to safe and legal abortions; and

Agenda Item: 4a

Meeting Date: July 12, 2022

WHEREAS, the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade effectively

removes bodily autonomy from women, girls, transgender and gender non-

confirming people with uteruses nationwide who can no longer seek abortion

care, a vital form of health care, and creates risk for future judicial interpretations

that erode protections for contraception and marriage equality; and

WHEREAS, this decision unilaterally targets people who can get pregnant and will disparately

create barriers to living their full potential, as access to abortion care directly

impacts their socio-economic, educational and health outcomes and impacts their

quality of life; and

WHEREAS, the long-standing harm institutionalized racism and barriers to healthcare access

have on communities of color will exacerbate inequities impacting racial

minorities and undocumented individuals seeking abortion care; and

WHEREAS, the mission of the Port of Seattle is to promote economic opportunities and quality

of life in the region by advancing trade, travel, commerce and job creation in an

equitable, accountable and environmentally responsible manner; and

WHEREAS, the Port has already established, through Resolution No. 3747, a Welcoming Port

Policy Directive that commits our organization to being safe, secure, welcoming,

accessible to all, and supportive of those who use our facilities; and

WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle supports an individual’s right to reproductive healthcare,

including abortion, and marriage equality; and

WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle, as a point of entry for people across the nation, welcomes

anyone traveling to Washington State, regardless of immigration status, for

access to safe abortion care; and

WHEREAS, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee officially stated his support for an

amendment to protect an individual’s right to safe and legal abortion in the

Washington State Constitution.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Port of Seattle Commission hereby adopts this proclamation to

express its official position in support of an amendment to the Washington State Constitution and

passage of a federal law to both codify an individual’s right to comprehensive, safe, and accessible

reproductive healthcare, including abortion, as well as marriage equality.

Proclaimed by the Port of Seattle Commission this ___ day of __________, 20__.

Port of Seattle Commission