Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) described a cadre of congressional abortion opponents “available for advice and counsel if and as needed” on legislative processes, whether for the Hyde Amendment, bans on later abortion care, “live child, or some of the other legislation that we work on,” rather than a formal board.
The lawsuit accuses defendants associated with the smear campaign of violating federal and state laws, including the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and the Federal Wiretap Act. It also accuses them of fraud, conspiracy, invasion of privacy, breach of contract, and trespass.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pledged to "fight back against attempts to restrict access to quality, affordable reproductive health care, and defend access to affordable contraception, preventive care, and safe and legal abortion—not just in principle, but in practice.”
In a a letter to anti-choice leaders earlier this month asking them to join the council, Trump made a series of promises to solidify his commitment to their cause, which included making permanent the Hyde Amendment's annual ban on federal funding for most abortion care and signing a medically dubious 20-week abortion ban into law.
“This is a win for the Arkansans who rely on Planned Parenthood of the Heartland for birth control, cancer screenings, and other essential health care,” said Suzanna de Baca, CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. “Every person deserves access to quality, affordable health care from the provider they know and trust, and today, the court recognized that.”
#HelloHyde seeks to celebrate the supposed one million lives “saved” by denying low-income individuals with Medicaid insurance access to abortion care. As the product of an unplanned pregnancy, I find this goal to be offensive, malicious, and enraging.
Women should not be forced to continue an unwanted pregnancy no matter where they live, their involvement in the criminal justice system, or how they receive coverage for their care.
California offers abortion care coverage under a program called Medi-Cal—rejecting the federal funding ban on abortion care imposed by Hyde Amendment, which turns 40 this month.
"These types of extreme proposals are wildly unpopular with the public and have failed every single time they have been put before voters," Amanda Allen, senior state legislative counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights, told Broadly. "It's blatantly unconstitutional and shows the true colors of abortion opponents: to punish some who need reproductive health care."
Ending the Hyde Amendment would likely not end litigation about Medicaid funding for abortion. Of course, that doesn’t mean advocates shouldn’t push for a repeal of Hyde’s restrictions, which legalize anti-poor discrimination.
