Cecelia Fire Thunder, the president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, is part of a coalition of South Dakota leaders aimed at overturning the state's restrictive abortion law.

Fire Thunder said the state has no right to tell a woman what to do with her body. She said she will establish a clinic on the Pine Ridge Reservation to provide abortions if the state law goes into effect.

A Republican lawmaker who voted for the bill said state lawmakers didn't consider such a possibility. State attorney general Larry Long said the state could have jurisdiction over non-Indian doctors who perform abortions for non-Indian women.

The South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families, a coalition of 15 leaders including Fire Thunder, is fighting the law. Although the group believes the law is unconstitutional and will be struck down by the courts, they are collecting signatures to block the law and send it to a public vote.

Get the Story:
Tribal leader rallies for abortion clinic on reservation (The Rapid City Journal 3/25)
Abortion-ban foes launch petition drive (The Rapid City Journal 3/25)

Relevant Links:
Oglala Sioux Tribe - http://www.lakotamall.com/oglalasiouxtribe

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