Furious Democratic leader vows to fight 'cruel' abortion ruling

The top Democrat in the US Congress blasted the conservative-led Supreme Court's "outrageous and heart-wrenching" decision overturning the federally-guaranteed right to abortion Friday -- urging Americans to vote out Republicans in November's midterm elections.

In an emotional news conference, a seething House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused the court of delivering a "slap in the face" to women seeking to make their own decisions about their reproductive freedom.

"This cruel ruling is outrageous and heart wrenching, but make no mistake: it's all on the ballot in November," Pelosi said.

The high court's six Republican appointees overturned the landmark 1973 "Roe v. Wade" decision that enshrined a woman's right to an abortion, saying that individual states can now permit or restrict the procedure themselves. The three Democratic appointees dissented.

Pelosi told reporters the move was part of a wider crackdown by Republicans on reproductive freedom.

"With Roe now out of their way, radical Republicans are charging ahead with their crusade to criminalize health freedom. In the Congress, Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban," she said.

"In the states, Republicans want to arrest doctors for offering reproductive care and women for terminating a pregnancy. (Republican) extremists are even threatening to criminalize contraception, as well as in-vitro fertilization and post-miscarriage care."