March For Life Arrives In Washington, DC; Focus Falls On Anti-Abortion Goals

AP: March For Life Returns To DC With New Post-Roe V. Wade Focus 
One year ago, the annual March for Life protest against legal abortion took place in Washington amid a mood of undisguised triumph. With a fresh conservative majority on the Supreme Court, thousands of marchers braved bitterly cold weather to celebrate the seemingly inevitable fall of Roe v. Wade. Now, with the constitutional right to abortion no longer the rule of the land, the March for Life returns Friday with a new focus. Instead of concentrating their attention on the Supreme Court, the marchers plan to target the building directly across the street: the U.S. Capitol. (Khalil, 1/20)

Axios: March For Life: Anti-Abortion Activists Split On Movement's Next Steps
As anti-abortion activists gather in Washington, D.C., on Friday to celebrate the overturning of Roe v. Wade — a singular cause that united abortion opponents for decades — some factions are split on the movement's next steps. (Gonzalez, 1/20)

Roll Call: As Roe Anniversary Approaches, Republicans Debate Next Moves
Political messaging and state legislative activity related to abortion are ramping up in the lead-up to two milestones for abortion rights activists and opponents — the annual March for Life, scheduled for Friday, and the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision on Jan. 22. (Raman and Altimari, 1/19)

In abortion news from Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, and Maryland —

Reuters: Indiana Top Court Appears Skeptical Of Challenge To Abortion Ban 
Indiana's highest court appeared skeptical the state's constitution protects a right to abortion during arguments Thursday in a lawsuit by Planned Parenthood challenging the state's recent abortion ban, but it was not clear whether it would overturn a lower court's order preventing enforcement of the ban while the case proceeds. (Pierson, 1/19)

AP: Minnesota House Backs Abortion Rights After HHS Chief Visits
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra visited Minnesota on Thursday on a Midwest trip to affirm the Biden administration’s commitment to abortion rights despite the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Becerra went to a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in St. Paul, then appeared with Gov. Tim Walz and Democratic legislative leaders at a news conference a few hours before the Minnesota House passed a fast-tracked bill to codify abortion rights into state statues by a vote of 69-65. (Karnowski, 1/20)

St. Louis Public Radio: Religious Leaders Sue To Overturn Missouri's Ban On Abortion
Two national nonprofits have filed a lawsuit against Missouri officials in an attempt to overturn the state’s abortion ban. The National Women’s Law Center and Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed suit Thursday in St. Louis Circuit Court on behalf of 13 faith leaders in Missouri. (Fentem, 1/19)

The Washington Post: Md. Gov. Wes Moore Takes Office, Unwinds His Predecessor's Actions 
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed an executive order releasing $69 million for Democratic priorities that former governor Larry Hogan (R) had held back as part of a flurry of changes he said ushered in a new era after eight years of divided government. The order freed up money for training new abortion providers, addressing climate change, standing up the state’s recreational cannabis industry and launching a paid family leave program that lawmakers approved last year. (Wiggins, 1/19)

On Planned Parenthood —

AP: FBI Offers Reward In Vandalism At Tennessee Pregnancy Clinic
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for vandalism at a women’s health clinic in Nashville. The fire occurred at the Hope Clinic for Women on June 30. An incendiary device was thrown through the clinic’s front window and the building’s exterior was spray painted, the FBI’s Memphis field office said in a statement. The device did not ignite, but the FBI has labeled it as an arson investigation. (1/20)

In related news —

Reuters: Rite Aid To Dispense Abortion Pill In A Limited Number Of Stores
Rite Aid Corp plans to dispense abortion medication in a limited number of its pharmacies and will serve customers either in person or through mail delivery, the U.S. drugstore chain said on Thursday. The company aims to dispense the pill, mifepristone, in compliance with federal and state laws. (1/19)

Carolina Public Press and The Daily Yonder: The True Impact Of WNC’s Maternal Desert On Rural Women
In Western North Carolina, many of the region’s 153,000 childbearing-aged women often must travel long distances for prenatal care and delivery at the area’s eight hospitals. This often means pregnant people, especially those from rural WNC counties, have to drive hours to access health care. (Harris and Melotte, 1/20)