“It’s a false choice. There is always a better option out there.”
— Gov. Scott Walker (R), quoted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, on the need to protect a woman’s life by ending her pregnancy.
Republicans May Force Shutdown Over Abortion
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said Republicans “should do everything they can” to eliminate federal money for Planned Parenthood — “even if it means a government shutdown fight this fall,” Politico reports.
In addition, 18 House Republicans told leadership that they “cannot and will not support any funding resolution … that contains any funding for Planned Parenthood.”
“It’s a potentially ominous sign for GOP leaders desperate to avoid another shutdown debacle. While Cruz may be radioactive in the Senate GOP conference after calling his leader a liar, his analysis of next week’s vote has merit: With Democrats vowing to block the measure, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) won’t be able to get the 60 votes he needs to advance the bill next week, a result that likely won’t satisfy a conservative base itching for confrontation over abortion.”
Lawmaker Blames California Drought on Abortion
California Assemblywoman Shannon Grove (R) suggested her state’s worst drought in 1,200 years may be God’s retribution for laws providing women with access to abortions, the Huffington Post reports.
Said Grove: “Texas was in a long period of drought until Governor Perry signed the fetal pain bill. It rained that night. Now God has his hold on California.”
Wisconsin Abortion Law Struck Down
“A federal judge has struck down a Wisconsin law requiring doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, dealing a fresh blow to such requirements, which face legal challenges in several states,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Lawmaker Changes His Mind on Abortion
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), who has taken pro-life positions, wrote in the Akron Beacon Journal that he changed his mind on abortion after talking with his female constituents.
Said Ryan: “These women gave me a better understanding of how complex and difficult certain situations can become. And while there are people of good conscience on both sides of this argument, one thing has become abundantly clear to me: the heavy hand of government must not make this decision for women and families.”
Why Republicans Can’t Stop Talking About Rape
Sarah Kliff: “The events this week are a reminder that for all the party establishment’s promises to swear off talking rape — no more Todd Akin or Richard Mourdock moments — the problem is much more than a series of rhetorical mistakes. There’s a deep philosophical divide between the core of the pro-life movement, which wants no exceptions for abortion, and those who side with the vast majority of Americans, who support access to the procedure for rape victims.”
“The distance between these two important factions is as great as it has ever been, so Republicans are sure to find themselves debating the question of rape again and again in the context of abortion — even as the party grapples with how to win over women voters ahead of an election that could have Hillary Clinton at the top of the other ticket.”
GOP Leaders Pull Abortion Bill After Revolt
“Bowing to the wishes of several moderates and women members, House Republican leaders pulled a controversial anti-abortion bill from consideration late Wednesday night, a move sure to enrage anti-abortion activists, who will descend on Capitol Hill Thursday for their annual March for Life,” National Journal reports.
“Some Republicans worried that the 20-week abortion measure might alienate millennials and female voters. But many female lawmakers were also furious over its clause stating that women can be exempt from the ban in cases of rape only if they reported the rape to authorities.”
GOP Congress Will Make Anti-Abortion Push
Wall Street Journal: “Now, for the first time since the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act was passed in 2003, outlawing a late-term procedure, the antiabortion movement sees opportunity on Capitol Hill as the GOP prepares to take charge of the U.S. Senate.”
“At the top of the agenda: legislation that would ban abortions at 20 weeks of pregnancy or later, pushing the legal boundaries set by the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. Activists on both sides of the debate are gearing up for a fight that will demonstrate the consequences of Republican gains in the 2014 election.”
A New Wave of Anti-Abortion Laws is Coming
“The big Republican gains in the November elections strengthened and enlarged the anti-abortion forces in the House and the Senate. But it’s the GOP victories in the statehouses and governor’s mansions that are priming the ground for another round of legal restrictions on abortion,” Politico reports.
“Thirteen states have passed bans on most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy — so-called fetal pain bills — and a couple have enacted earlier limits tied to when a fetal heartbeat is first detected, which can be six or seven weeks into a pregnancy. Several of these state laws are being contested in court, and the arguments may eventually end up in the Supreme Court. But that hasn’t deterred more states from eyeing such legislation; in Ohio, a House panel approved a fetal heartbeat bill just a few days ago.”
“Anti-abortion legislation is especially likely to come up in two of the four legislatures that meet every other year: Texas, which passed sweeping clinic regulations in 2013, and North Dakota, which recently saw its medication abortion restrictions upheld by the state Supreme Court… Activists say they’ll push on several fronts, seeking more restrictions in states that have already enacted laws, as well as initiating legislation in states where the GOP has now gained ground.”
