Tag: abortion

Missouri Supreme Court Deals Blow to Republicans in Abortion Ballot Case

Minnesota Sun Staff

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled against Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s request to change the language of a proposed abortion amendment’s language Monday, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

An appeals court had ruled earlier this month that Ashcroft’s summaries of the amendment were “argumentative” and “politically partisan” because of his use of terms like “unborn child,” which the court considered “problematic.” Ashcroft appealed the decision to the state Supreme Court but the justices declined to hear his appeal, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

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Christian, Pro-Life Groups Push to Reauthorize Biden’s ‘Reimagined’ AIDS Program Promoting Abortion

Minnesota Sun Staff

Several Christian organizations have supported full authorization of an AIDS relief program even though the money has gone to organizations that advocate more abortions abroad. 

In several public statements, President Joe Biden’s White House has called for promoting abortion abroad, frequently in references to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, better known as PEPFAR. 

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Oklahoma Supreme Court Keeps Block on Three State Laws Restricting Abortion

Minnesota Sun Staff

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled against three of the state’s pro-life laws Tuesday, arguing that they would inhibit a woman’s right under the state constitution to get an abortion to protect her health, according to court documents.

The three laws in question require doctors to be board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and requiring doctors to perform an ultrasound 72 hours before administering any drugs used to initiate an abortion, according to the Associated Press. Several pro-abortion groups including Planned Parenthood (PP) and the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) sued the state, arguing the laws were unconstitutional and the state Supreme Court agreed to place a temporary halt while the lawsuit runs its course, according to the ruling.

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Appeals Court Rules State Abortion Ballot Language Using ‘Right to Life,’ ‘Unborn Child’ Is ‘Argumentative’

Minnesota Sun Staff

The Missouri Western District Court of Appeals upheld a decision on Tuesday that declared Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft used “argumentative” and “partisan” language in a ballot description of a proposed abortion amendment, court documents showed.

A Missouri judge determined in September that Ashcroft’s use of phrases such as “right to life,” “unborn child” and “dangerous, unregulated, and unrestricted abortions” were “problematic,” and rewrote the secretary’s summary to include approved language. The Court of Appeals agreed that Ashcroft tried to “mislead” voters with “insufficient and unfair” language, but said the rewritten ballot summaries must specifically mention abortion to accurately describe the proposed amendment, according to court documents.

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GOP Senator Presses Defense Secretary on Missing Evidence Behind Abortion Claims

Minnesota Sun Staff

A GOP senator questioned the Department of Defense (DOD)’s missing justification for its controversial abortion travel policy after the Pentagon said it still needed to assess the impact of abortion restrictions on the military, in a letter exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Republicans have opposed Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s measures to counteract state abortion restrictions implemented since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court decision in June of 2022, including by paying travel expenses for women seeking abortions. The Pentagon argued abortion restrictions would harm military readiness and lethality, but Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi hammered Austin again for failing to provide data backing up that claim in a letter dated Oct. 27.

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Appeals Court Reverses Previous Ruling That Halted Idaho’s Abortion Ban

Minnesota Sun Staff

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overruled a lower court decision to block Idaho’s abortion ban Thursday, according to court documents.

U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Idaho B. Lynn Winmill, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton, ruled in August that the law could stop doctors from referring patients to abortion clinics in other states in an emergency due to fear of prosecution. A panel of judges appointed by former President Donald Trump, however, determined that the state’s case to uphold the ban was likely to succeed and that for the time being “public interest is best served by preserving the force and effect of a duly enacted Idaho law,” according to court documents.

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GOP Presidential Candidates Prepare for Critical Second Debate Without Trump

M.D. Kittle

If Wednesday’s second GOP presidential primary debate proves to be anything like the first, we’re in for a night of political punches and maybe a rhetorical gang fight or two as the candidates look to score points in another Trump-less bout.

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Kinder, Gentler Iowa Cattle Call of GOP Presidential Hopefuls Sees Ramaswamy, DeSantis, Haley Generate Most Buzz

M.D. Kittle

The latest cattle call of GOP presidential contestants — sans former President Donald Trump — mainly maintained Iowa nice, a departure from last month’s first fiery primary debate and a similar Christian conservative event in July hosted by conservative talk show host lightning rod Tucker Carlson.

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Mexican Supreme Court Decriminalizes Abortion Nationwide

Just the News

The Mexican Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a sweeping ruling that decriminalized abortion nationwide, determining that to attach penalties to the procedure “violate[d] the human rights of women.”

Wednesday’s decision follows a 2021 ruling from the court that permitted state officials to regulate the procedure, according to the New York Times.

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Meta’s Oversight Board Rules That Company Stifled Speech by Removing Posts About Abortion

Minnesota Sun Staff

Meta’s Oversight Board ruled Wednesday that Facebook and Instagram showed “patterns of censorship” by removing posts about abortion that the social media platforms claimed constituted death threats.

The board had been weighing a series of posts that were initially taken down by Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, for potential death threats against both pro-abortion and pro-life advocates before being reinstated after appeals from the users. The board took up the case in June and announced this week that Facebook had erred by removing the posts, according to the ruling.

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South Carolina Supreme Court Upholds State’s Pro-Life Heartbeat Bill

Susan Berry, PhD

The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled Wednesday the state’s pro-life law that prohibits most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected is constitutional and may be enforced.

“The Supreme Court’s ruling marks a historic moment in our state’s history and is the culmination of years of hard work and determination by so many in our state to ensure that the sanctity of life is protected,” said Governor Henry McMaster (R) in a statement. “With this victory, we protect the lives of countless unborn children and reaffirm South Carolina’s place as one of the most pro-life states in America.”

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National Pro-Life Group Creates ‘Abortion Distortion’ Animated Videos to Confront Pro-Abortion Talking Points

Susan Berry, PhD

The late founder of national pro-life organization Life Dynamics created his group’s new animated videos to serve as a tool for every pro-lifer, regardless of age, to help them engage with common pro-abortion talking points.

Pro-life leader Marcus “Mark” Crutcher, who died in March, wanted to address the issue of how to help pro-lifers engage in responding to common pro-abortion talking points, said a press statement Thursday announcing the release of Crutcher’s “Abortion Distortion” videos.

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RFK Jr. Says He Supports Abortion Limits After Three Months of Pregnancy, But Spokesperson Walks Back Comment

Just the News

Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he would support a ban on abortion after three months of pregnancy if elected president, but his spokesperson later said Kennedy “misunderstood” the question.

“I believe a decision to abort a child should be up to the women during the first three months of life,” Kennedy told NBC News on Sunday morning at the Iowa State Fair. When questioned further as to whether that meant implementing a federal ban at 15 or 21 weeks, he said yes.

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College Profs Sue over State Abortion Law, Argue It Criminalizes Classroom Discussion

Minnesota Sun Staff

Idaho professors and teachers unions are alleging that a state law violates their First Amendment rights by preventing them from teaching pro-abortion viewpoints, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the ACLU.

Idaho passed the No Public Funds for Abortion Act in 2021, which prohibits state contracts with abortion providers and bans public employees from promoting abortion, according to Idaho’s legislative website. Public employees who violate the law can be charged with a felony and fired, and professors argue the law has forced them to alter their course modules by taking out entire sections related to abortion due to fear of repercussions, according to the lawsuit.

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Pentagon Personnel Chief Behind Diversity and Abortion Policies Heading Out

Minnesota Sun Staff

Gilbert Cisneros, a Navy veteran and former Democratic California representative, announced Monday plans to retire as the Department of Defense (DOD) head for personnel policy, leaving a legacy of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies.

The Pentagon touted Cisneros’ record in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation on Monday, fueling the implementation of new policies developed under his watch to address sexual assault and suicide. Cisneros also presided over numerous social policies that became the subject of conservative ire, such as the DOD pandemic response, ensuringacceptance of the once-mandated COVID-19 vaccine and policies making it easier for female servicemembers to accesscontraceptives and abortion.

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Anti-Catholic Activists in Maine Target Federalist Society’s Leonard Leo After Latest Supreme Court Decisions

Susan Berry, PhD

Federalist Society Co-Chairman Leonard Leo, who served as an advisor in the selection process of former President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court appointees, has been targeted in his home town in Maine by what a prominent Catholic leader calls “anti-Catholic bigots” in the wake of recent rulings by the High Court.

Activists have been protesting at Leo’s home in Northeast Harbor, tying him to Supreme Court rulings with which they disagree.

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Rep. Ilhan Omar Expresses Support for Woman Who Burned and Buried Aborted Baby’s Remains

Minnesota Sun Staff

A Nebraska teenager was recently sentenced to 90 days in jail after she burned and buried the remains of her aborted baby, a case U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar called a “frightening violation of privacy and autonomy.”

Omar published a screenshot of a New York Times article about the case of 19-year-old Celeste Burgess, who was not charged “under Nebraska’s abortion law,” the article notes. At the time, Nebraska prohibited abortions after 20 weeks; that has now been moved up to 12 weeks.

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National Pro-Life Group Sues Vermont for ‘Unconstitutional Attack’ Against Pregnancy Care Centers

Susan Berry, PhD

The National Institute for Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA), in conjunction with two Vermont pregnancy centers and their attorneys at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), have filed a complaint against the state of Vermont “for the unconstitutional attack launched against pregnancy centers in the state” resulting from a law that “suppresses the free-speech rights of faith-based pregnancy centers,” ADF said in a press release.

ADF attorneys filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday that describes the case as “a challenge by pro-life pregnancy services centers and their membership organization to a state law that unconstitutionally restricts the centers’ speech and provision of services.”

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Former Minnesota Republican Gubernatorial Candidate ‘Re-Examines’ His Abortion Position

Minnesota Sun Staff

Dr. Scott Jensen, former GOP candidate for governor, wrote in an op-ed that following his 2022 election loss, he is re-examining his position on abortion.

“Because millions of Americans believed that the Supreme Court’s ruling had had a decisive impact on elections across the nation, I decided to re-examine the abortion issue from both a historical and present-day perspective,” Jensen wrote.

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Massachusetts Bill Would Allow Girls of Any Age to Obtain Abortion Without Parental Consent

Susan Berry, PhD

A radical Massachusetts bill that would end nearly all restrictions on abortion in the state would also allow girls of any age to “consent” to an abortion without informing parents or requiring their consent.

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National Pro-Life Group Condemns Democrats and Media Allies for Encouraging Abortionists to Illegally Mail Abortion Drugs to Pro-Life States

Susan Berry, PhD

A national pro-life group is shaming Democrats for encouraging abortionists to mail dangerous abortion-inducing drugs into pro-life states after the Washington Post touted such actions are legal.

“Mailing abortion pills into pro-life states is not legal, no matter how the Democrats and their media cheerleaders want it to be,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America, in a statement sent to The Star News Network. “And the strong majority of Americans agree it is not safe.” 

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Planned Parenthood in Minnesota Offers $150 Gift Card to Teens to Attend Sex Ed Summer Camp

Susan Berry, PhD

Abortion and transgender hormone giant Planned Parenthood is drawing teens to its “Sex Ed Summer Camp” in late July with the promise of a $150 gift card to those who complete the program.

“Sex Ed Summer Camp is a sexual health peer education certification program,” Planned Parenthood states about its camp for 15-18 year-olds to be held July 24-28 in Mankato, Minnesota. “Participants will use knowledge they learn to educate friends and peers. Topics covered include sexual anatomy, birth control methods, sexually transmitted infections, healthy relationships and consent, and more!”

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Pro-Life Law Firm Urges Federal Appeals Court to Uphold Right of Unborn Children to Emergency Medical Care

Susan Berry, PhD

A leading national pro-life law firm has filed an amicus brief with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing the Biden administration’s “guidance” to hospitals that “reminds” them of their “obligation” to provide abortions in states where the procedure is illegal is an incorrect interpretation of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).

In a press statement Friday, Life Legal explained that after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, “Democrats were determined to find ways to prevent pro-life states from protecting babies in the womb.”

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Pro-Life Groups Demand Congress Halt Pentagon’s Abortion Travel Funding Policy

Just the News

A group of pro-life groups have called on House Republicans to stop the Department of Defense policy allowing military servicemembers time off and reimbursement for travel to obtain abortions.

The Pentagon adopted the plan in the wake of the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision that overturned the constitutional right to an abortion and led to numerous states banning the procedure entirely or at least imposing restrictions.

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Texas Abortion Ban Leads to Additional 10,000 Births, Paper Concludes

Just the News

An abortion ban in the state of Texas has led to nearly 10,000 additional live births in the state, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health estimate.

Between April and December of 2022, the researchers conclude that the state witnessed 9,799 additional births that would not have been occurred but for the existence of the state’s abortion ban, the researchers concluded. The state’s previous law allowed abortion up to 22 weeks of gestation, while the current legislation prohibits abortion on detection of embryonic cardiac activity, i.e. the detection of a fetal heartbeat. This can occur as early as 5-6 weeks into pregnancy. 

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Indiana Supreme Court Rules Abortion Ban Is Constitutional

Minnesota Sun Staff

The Indiana Supreme Court issued a decision Friday that said the state’s abortion ban was constitutional in a 4-1 ruling, according to the text.

Senate Bill 1 was signed into law in 2022 and prohibited abortion with limited exceptions in the case of preventing “serious health risk of the pregnant woman or to save the pregnant woman’s life,” if the child is diagnosed with a “lethal fetal anomaly” or rape or incest, according to the bill’s text. The law was quickly halted by a lawsuit brought by Planned Parenthood Great Northwest before being vacated by the state Supreme Court, which ruled that the law did not violate the Indiana Constitution.

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Study Finds Abortion in First Pregnancy Linked to Increased Risk of Later Mental Health Problems

Susan Berry, PhD

While a common abortion industry narrative claims restrictions on abortion cause mental health harms to women, a new study has found that abortion during a first pregnancy is associated with a greater incidence of mental health problems after the procedure than giving birth.

The study, conducted by Dr. James Studnicki, vice president and director of data analytics at the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI), and his colleagues, was published at the International Journal of Women’s Health.

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Evangelical Leader Says GOP Candidates Need to ‘Grow a Backbone’ on Abortion

Minnesota Sun Staff

Faith and Freedom Coalition (FFC) Founder Ralph Reed said that some GOP candidates need to “grow a backbone” on the issue of abortion, according to an Associated Press article published Friday.

FFC’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., from June 22-24 falls over the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and dismissed the idea of a constitutional right to abortion. Reed said that in light of the timing of the two events he wanted to give the candidates a “bit of a testosterone booster shot” to encourage them to be more aggressive on the issue of abortion, according to the AP.

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Radical Anti-Life Gender Justice Group Backing Ohio Ballot Initiative Revealed to Be Pushing End to ‘Unethical’ Parental Involvement Laws

Susan Berry, PhD

Tweets by a key leftist organization pushing the Ohio abortion ballot initiative that could end parental involvement in minors’ medical decisions reveal that the goal of Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity’s (URGE) is to cut parents out of their children’s lives.

Protect Women Ohio (PWO), a self-described “coalition of concerned family and life leaders, parents, health and medical experts, and faith leaders in Ohio,” posted a thread to Twitter Tuesday showing URGE has been “working to abolish parental consent and notification laws for years.”

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South Carolina Becomes 23rd State to Protect Babies with Heartbeat

Susan Berry, PhD

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act Thursday morning, legislation that protects babies in the state from abortion from the time a heartbeat is detected.

McMaster’s signature on the bill now makes South Carolina the 23rd state to protect babies with a heartbeat, and marks that half of the United States is now protecting babies from abortion at or before 12 weeks.

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South Carolina Lawmakers Send Heartbeat Bill to Governor’s Desk

Susan Berry, PhD

The South Carolina Legislature gave final approval to its heartbeat bill Tuesday, one that would ban abortions from the time a fetal heartbeat is detected and a move that will continue the trend in the southern states to restrict abortion.

The state senate passed the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act (S. 474) Tuesday by a vote of 27-19 and sent the measure to the desk of Governor Henry McMaster (R), who said he “look[s] forward to signing this bill into law as soon as possible.”

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South Carolina House Passes Six-Week Abortion Ban

Minnesota Sun Staff

The South Carolina House of Representatives has passed a bill to restrict abortion after approximately six weeks of pregnancy, per a vote held in the House late on Wednesday.

The House passed Senate Bill 474, known as the “Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act,” with amendments, by a vote of 82 to 32, with all Republicans and two Democrats voting in favor. The bill would prohibit abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually after six weeks of pregnancy.

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World Health Organization Ripped over ‘Early Childhood’ Sex Ed Teaching ‘Masturbation’ and ‘Gender Identities’

Susan Berry, PhD

The World Health Organization (WHO) is drawing fire throughout Europe for continuing its Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) guidance that recommends children under four years of age be taught “enjoyment and pleasure when touching one’s own body, early childhood masturbation,” and “the right to explore gender identities.”

The “Standards for Sexuality Education in Europe,” first published in 2010 by the WHO, the global health organization of the United Nations, is being challenged by various pro-family organizations concerned about the sexualization of young children, as the Daily Mail reported.

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Planned Parenthood CEO Calls for Supreme Court Reform: ‘The Court Now Has Been Fully Captured’ on Abortion Rights

Susan Berry, PhD

The CEO of Planned Parenthood said on Mother’s Day on MSNBC that the Supreme Court has now “been fully captured” by a “conservative supermajority” that has attacked abortion rights and, therefore, must be reformed, along with the lower courts as well.

Led by former Biden White House Press Secretary-turned MSNBC opinion host Jen Psaki, Alexis McGill Johnson said “the reality is the Court now has been fully captured in so many areas.”

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Study Finds 71 Percent of American Men Experienced Negative Impact to Mental Health After Loss of a Child to Abortion

Susan Berry, PhD

A newly released study about the impact of abortion on American men finds 71 percent of men experienced “adverse changes” to their mental health following the loss of a child to abortion.

Results of the study, commissioned by Support After Abortion, a nonprofit focused on post-abortion healing education, found that of the 71 percent of men who suffered “adverse changes,” 83 percent said they “either sought after abortion help or said they could have benefited from talking to someone.”

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State Abortion Laws May Sway Where Students Attend College: Poll

Minnesota Sun Staff

State abortion laws may be swaying students’ decisions about their college futures, according to study results first published by Gallup on Thursday.

Approximately 72% of currently enrolled college students admitted that state abortion laws play an important role in determining whether to stay enrolled, according to the poll, which was conducted in partnership with the Lumina Foundation. While smaller, a majority of respondents aged 18-59 who are not currently enrolled in higher education admitted that they would consider the abortion law of the state a college or university is located before enrolling.

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Minnesota Senate Passes Three Controversial Bills, Including ‘Trans Refuge’ Legislation

Admin

A few hundred people filled the halls outside of the Minnesota Senate chambers Friday morning both in support of and opposition to three polarizing bills dealing with gender and abortion.

Protesters opposing the bills held signs saying “Vote no” and “We don’t co-parent with the government.” The bills being voted on included SF23, a conversion therapy ban, SF63, the “trans refuge” bill, and HF366, the “Reproductive Freedom Defense Act.”

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Report: Trump Would Reject Federal Abortion Restrictions

Susan Berry, PhD

The Washington Post reported Thursday that a Trump campaign spokesman said the former president believes abortion issues should be decided solely at the state level. “President Donald J. Trump believes that the Supreme Court, led by the three Justices which he supported, got it right when they ruled this is an issue that should be decided at the State level,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said, according to the Post. “Republicans have been trying to get this done for 50 years, but were unable to do so. President Trump, who is considered the most pro-life President in history, got it done. He will continue these policies when reelected to the White House. Like President Reagan before him, President Trump supports exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.”

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National Pro-Life Group Praises Ruling Suspending FDA’s ‘Rubber Stamp’ of Abortion Drug as Democrat-Led States Stockpile Pills

Susan Berry, PhD

One of the nation’s leading pro-life organizations is praising the ruling out of a U.S. district court in Texas Friday that has stayed the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the abortion drug mifepristone nationwide.

However, within hours of the ruling by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Donald Trump appointee, a Washington State federal judge then issued a decision in State of Washington v. United States Food and Drug Administration, which blocked “altering the status quo and rights as it relates to the availability of Mifepristone.”

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Washington State Spends Nearly $1.3 Million to Stockpile Three-Year Supply of Abortion Pills

The Center Square

Washington state has stocked up on a key abortion drug in case the drug becomes much more difficult to access, pending the outcome of a federal lawsuit brought by anti-abortion groups.

The drug in question is mifepristone, the first pill in a two-drug medication abortion regimen that has been used for more than two decades.

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Hawaii Governor Signs Bills Blocking Penalties for Abortion

The Center Square

Hawaii will not cooperate with other states’ civil or criminal investigations related to abortion under a new law signed by Gov. Josh Green.

Senate Bill 1, also known as Act 2, prohibits the issuance of a subpoena in connection with an out-of-state or interstate investigation related to abortion and bans any agency from providing information or spending time or resources to further such an investigation.

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Oklahoma Supreme Court Allows ‘Life of Mother’ Exception to State Law Prohibiting Most Abortions

Susan Berry, PhD

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has upheld part of the state’s ban on most abortions from the time of fertilization, ruling the state Constitution protects only a “limited right to terminate a pregnancy” in the case of saving the life of the mother.

The state Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, held on Tuesday “the Oklahoma Constitution creates an inherent right of a pregnant woman to terminate a pregnancy when necessary to preserve her life.”

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Texas Case Could End Access to ‘Dangerous’ Abortion-Inducing Drug Nationwide

Susan Berry, PhD

A federal judge heard oral arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit that could end availability of abortion-inducing drug mifepristone throughout the nation.

The case was brought against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November by Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, a coalition of pro-life OB/GYNS, pediatricians, and other Christian healthcare providers, who are seeking a preliminary injunction to require the FDA to either withdraw or suspend its approval of the drug while the lawsuit continues.

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DFL’s Abortion Agenda Hitting Roadblock, State Legislators Say

Minnesota Sun Staff

The Minnesota DFL’s abortion agenda could be in jeopardy, Democratic legislators revealed during a “reproductive freedom” rally at the Capitol Tuesday.

“We absolutely cannot stop with the PRO Act,” said Sen. Jen McEwen, DFL-Duluth, referring to the Protect Reproductive Options Act.

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