Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Kavanaugh's Mention Of 'Abortion-Inducing Drugs' Sparked Firestorm. Here's A Closer Look At The Science.
The New York Times: Science Does Not Support Claims That Contraceptives Are ‘Abortion-Inducing’
During his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Thursday, Judge Brett Kavanaugh referred to some forms of birth control as “abortion-inducing drugs.” The phrase is a characterization that some anti-abortion religious groups use, but it is not supported by scientific evidence. Judge Kavanaugh used the phrase while answering questions by Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, about a 2015 dissent he wrote in a case brought by a Catholic organization over a requirement in the federal health care law that employers include contraception coverage in employee health plans. (Belluck, 9/7)
The New York Times: Democrats Sow Disorder In The Senate Over Kavanaugh And The Court
Boorish. Rude. Disrespectful. Insulting. Grandstanding. Hyperventilating. Deranged. Ridiculous. Drivel. Those were among the words angry Senate Republicans used this week to assail the conduct of Democrats at a Supreme Court hearing that was often tense and sometimes toxic. (Hulse, 9/7)
Bloomberg: Facing Long Odds On Kavanaugh, Democrats Make It All About Trump
Facing an uphill battle to derail Donald Trump’s second nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Senate Democrats fanned out on Sunday to cast Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation fight as a referendum on White House accountability. Liberals fear that elevating Kavanaugh to the nine-person court could create the most conservative panel since the 1930s and lead to legal reversals on precedents including women’s abortion rights. (Bain and Brody, 9/9)
Politico: Judiciary Committee Vote Next Hurdle For Kavanaugh
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has announced that he will hold a committee on Sept. 13. Democrats can delay a panel vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination for one week. At that point, Grassley would be expected to push Kavanaugh’s nomination through his panel and onto the Senate floor, setting the stage for a big political win for President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Democrats can only slow down Kavanaugh’s nomination at that point — they can’t stop it without GOP help. Senate Republicans currently have a 51-49 majority, with the replacement for the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Jon Kyl, having been sworn in on Wednesday, giving McConnell another vote to work with to get Kavanaugh through the Senate. (Bresnahan, 9/7)
PBS NewsHour: Even With Roe V. Wade Intact, Many States Have Aggressively Restricted Abortion Access
Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court has many abortion rights advocates worried that the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision is in imminent peril. In many places the rollback of access is already steadily progressing. (Nawaz, 9/7)
