Harris, Biden Deliver Fiery Message on Abortion Rights
The Washington Post, January 22, 2024
Vice President Harris framed the fight for abortion access in searing terms in this battleground state Monday afternoon, highlighting what she called “the horrific reality that women are facing every single day” since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade 18 months ago. Harris left little doubt that her remarks were aimed in large part at former president Donald Trump. “As we face this crisis and as we are clear-eyed about the harm, let us also understand who is responsible, shall we?” she said. “The former president handpicked three Supreme Court justices because he intended for them to overturn Roe. He intended for them to take away your freedoms. And it is a decision he brags about.” Harris’s remarks on the 51st anniversary of the decision in Roe, the Supreme Court case granting a constitutional right to an abortion, came as the Biden administration is trying to mobilize the Democratic base around the fight for reproductive freedom. Her appearance was part of a full-court press on abortion rights being unleashed by the Biden team this week, as the administration announced new steps Monday intended to ensure access to contraception, abortion medication and emergency abortions at hospitals.
Biden Announces New Abortion And Contraception Guidance On Roe v. Wade Anniversary
Forbes, January 22, 2024
The White House rolled out new guidance related to abortion and reproductive rights Monday as the U.S. marked the 51st anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, as the Biden administration tries to offset the impacts of justices then overturning Roe in 202 — but faces multiple cases before the high court that could stymie its efforts. President Joe Biden will hold a meeting Monday with his Task Force for Reproductive Healthcare Access, in which physicians will testify about their personal experiences with the fallout from Roe being overturned and states restricting abortion. The White House announced new guidance Monday to support expanded access to contraceptives that will be available at no cost under the Affordable Care Act, as well as improved contraceptive benefits for federal workers and their families. The Biden administration will roll out a new plan to better educate patients and healthcare providers about patients’ rights under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires hospitals to provide emergency care when necessary — including abortion care when medically necessary.
Doctors Face ‘A Perpetual Rollercoaster’ as Abortion Returns to The Supreme Court
The 19th, January 19, 2024
Less than two years ago, the Supreme Court eliminated the federal right to an abortion, a decision that the court’s conservative majority suggested would remove them from further litigation of abortion rights.” The Court’s decision properly leaves the question of abortion for the people and their elected representatives in the democratic process,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a concurring opinion. But this term, the court is now set to hear two cases that could further undercut access to the procedure. As those cases unfold, doctors who care for pregnant people say their work has taken on new levels of uncertainty; they’re unsure what care they can legally provide and often unable to follow best medical practices.“I feel like I’m standing in the middle of a crowded room, screaming, warning, ‘Bad things are coming,’ and nobody’s listening,” said Dr. Amy Adante, an OB-GYN from outside of Chicago, where abortion remains legal. The cases touch on different legal questions and could affect the entire country, not just states that have banned abortion. One, stemming from a challenge filed in Texas, concerns the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone, which is one of two drugs commonly used in medication abortions. The other, out of Idaho, addresses whether the federal emergency medicine law known as EMTALA protects the right to an abortion when it is the necessary treatment to save the life of a patient. The EMTALA case is set to be argued in April; the court has not set a date for arguments in the mifepristone case.
Tennessee Republican Files ‘Abortion Trafficking’ Bill For Pregnant Minors
The Tennessean, January 23, 2024
A Tennessee Republican hopes to establish an “abortion trafficking” felony for adults who help pregnant minors get an out-of-state abortion without parental permission, an effort reproductive health advocates argue will run afoul of constitutional rights such as interstate travel. Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, filed House Bill 1895 on Monday. The legislation would establish a new Class C felony, which could carry three to 15 years in prison, for an adult that “recruits, harbors or transports” a pregnant minor for the purposes of receiving an out-of-state abortion or for getting abortion medication. Parents or legal guardians are exempt and would be allowed to take their pregnant child out of state. However, if another adult helps a pregnant minor obtain an abortion, the minor’s consent doesn’t matter. The legislation would also open up adults charged under the law to civil liability, allowing the biological mother or her parents to sue the adult who facilitated the abortion. The biological father could also sue, unless the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest as defined in Tennessee criminal code.
Wisconsin Republicans Introduce Bill to Ban Abortions After 14 Weeks of Pregnancy
Time, January 20, 2024
Republicans who control the Wisconsin Assembly introduced a bill Friday that would call for a binding statewide referendum on whether abortion should be banned after 14 weeks of pregnancy. The GOP has scheduled a public hearing on the bill for Monday afternoon at the state Capitol. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is almost certain to veto the measure. However, the proposal could still galvanize the conservative base after Democrats parlayed anger over the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn its landmark 1972 Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion nationwide, into big election wins across the country. Nowhere was that dynamic more evident than in Wisconsin, where Janet Protasiewicz won a seat on the state Supreme Court last year after repeatedly announcing on the campaign trail that she supports abortion rights. Her victory handed liberal justices a 4-3 majority on the court. To add to Republicans’ woes, a Dane County judge ruled this past summer that Wisconsin’s 174-year-old ban on abortion only prohibits feticide, or an attempt to kill an unborn child. The ruling emboldened Planned Parenthood, which had ceased providing services in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision, to resume operations in September. The case is on appeal, though, and likely will end up before the state Supreme Court.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
"We must listen to their stories and honor their experiences and lift up their voices in this fight. On this Roe anniversary, I will continue to hope for that better future ahead." #TrustWomenRestoreRoe
— National Partnership (@NPWF) January 22, 2024
Read more reflections on where we are post Dobbs: https://t.co/4aurxiUcyf pic.twitter.com/mXN1jYsY9D
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Note: The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
