Thursday marked the 36th anniversary of the US Supreme Court decision that led to the legalization of abortion.

Obama reaffirmed the vision behind the Roe decision when he said Thursday:

(Roe versus Wade) not only protects women's health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters.

The 1973 ruling overturned state laws against abortion. It held that a woman's right to an abortion was protected by the right to privacy under the American Constitution's 14th Amendment.