Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Democratic Candidates Unveil Plans To Protect Abortion Signaling New Strategy From Party Typically On Defensive In Debate
The New York Times: After Alabama Abortion Law, 3 Democrats Propose A New Strategy
Responding to a series of highly restrictive abortion laws aimed at overturning Roe v. Wade, several Democratic presidential candidates have called on Congress to codify abortion rights, signaling a newly aggressive approach in a debate whose terms have long been set by conservatives. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey was first out of the gate on Wednesday, telling BuzzFeed News that if elected president, he would pursue legislation to guarantee abortion rights nationwide, superseding state restrictions, even if the Supreme Court overturned Roe. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York promised the same on Thursday, and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts came forward Friday morning with a more detailed plan. The three senators also called for repealing the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding for abortions. (Astor, 5/17)
The Associated Press: Warren Unveils Abortion Rights Platform Following New Laws
Elizabeth Warren is calling for a series of targeted measures designed to safeguard abortion rights following a flurry of new state laws that dramatically restrict women's ability to terminate pregnancies, moves Democrats have decried as a planned effort to chip away at the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. (Schor, 5/17)
Reuters: Senator Warren Calls For Federal Laws Protecting Abortion Access
The issue of abortion has been thrust into the national dialogue in recent weeks after a series of states controlled by Republicans began passing legislation to enact hard line bans. Alabama signed into law on Wednesday the most drastic rollback yet. "This is a dark moment," Warren, who is running for president, wrote in a post on Medium on Friday morning outline her new proposal. "People are scared and angry. And they are right to be. But this isn’t a moment to back down – it’s time to fight back." (Gibson, 5/17)
Boston Globe: Elizabeth Warren Calls On Congress To Pass Law Enshrining Roe V. Wade Abortion Rights
Responding to the flurry of antiabortion bills passing state legislatures, Senator Elizabeth Warren on Friday called on Congress to pass a law guaranteeing abortion access outlined in the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. Warren warned in a Medium post that Republicans looked to be succeeding in their decades-long effort to overturn the landmark 1973 ruling. (Prignano, 5/17)
Meanwhile —
The Associated Press: Louisiana Governor Breaks With Democratic Party On Abortion
Nearly three decades ago, when Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards' wife was 20 weeks pregnant with their first child, a doctor discovered their daughter had spina bifida and encouraged an abortion. The Edwardses refused. Now, daughter Samantha is married and working as a school counselor, and Edwards finds himself an outlier in polarized abortion politics. (DeSlatte, 5/17)
