Abortion

The bishops have led calls to rescind the mandate but threatened court action Tuesday in light of "approaching regulatory deadlines."

The bill from Rep. Robert Dold would prevent state legislatures from blocking federal funding for the organization.

Rep. Robert Dold's defense is unusual in a year when Republicans have tried to defund the organization.

A Catholic group wants university to rescind her invitation to deliver a commencement address in protest over administration's contraception mandate.

A U.S. appeals court said Tuesday that Texas can bar Planned Parenthood from receiving funds under a state healthcare program because the organization performs abortions.

The decision reversed a day-old ruling by U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel, who on Monday halted a 2011 law passed by the state's Republican-controlled Legislature excluding Planned Parenthood from the state's Women's Health Program.

Tuesday's ruling means that the law can now take effect, "pending further order" of the appeals court — something Texas health officials confirmed, according to The Houston Chronicle.

"At this point, Planned Parenthood is not an eligible provider in the Women's Health Program," Stephanie Goodman, a spokeswoman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, said on Tuesday. 

Monday was a bad day for abortion-rights opponents.

The controversial “personhood” movement was dealt a fresh loss in the courts, this time in Oklahoma. The state supreme court said in a unanimous ruling that a personhood proposal there is “clearly unconstitutional.”

Personhood advocates want to amend state constitutions to say that life begins at fertilization, which could jeopardize access to contraception and in vitro fertilization. The Oklahoma court’s decision follows a ruling last year in which a Nevada judge threw a personhood amendment off the state’s 2012 ballot.

Healthwatch has the story on the Oklahoma ruling.

Planned Parenthood successfully messes with Texas: Planned Parenthood clinics in the Lone Star State are safe from cuts to their public funding, for now. A federal judge issued an injunction Monday to stop the organization from being excluded from the state's Women's Health Program because it provides abortions. The preliminary decision came after eight Planned Parenthood clinics that do not provide abortions sued because the law at issue, passed in 2011, would have cut their funding as well.

The clinics argued that discrimination against them by the state amounted to infringement on their right to freely associate.

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The Oklahoma Supreme Court unanimously tossed out a proposed “personhood” amendment Monday, yet another setback for the controversial movement that has divided abortion-rights opponents.

The personhood movement supports amending state constitutions to say that life begins at the moment of fertilization — a definition that would likely impede women’s access to contraception and in vitro fertilization.

The personhood proposal in Oklahoma is “clearly unconstitutional,” the state supreme court said in a unanimous ruling Monday. Abortion-rights supporters hailed the decision.

“This amendment would have run roughshod over the fundamental, constitutionally protected reproductive rights of all Oklahoma women,” said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed the legal challenge in Oklahoma.

"For many women, we are the only doctor’s visit they will have this year," said Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards.

Planned Parenthood slashed its spending on lobbying in the first quarter of 2012 by 88 percent, disclosure records show.

Romney adviser Ed Gillespie defended defunding Planned Parenthood on Fox News.

Massachusetts Democrats were divided last week on whether to highlight Mitt Romney's role in driving the state's health reforms forward or portray him as a bit player.

Nursing aides are getting new worker protections.

The Department of Agriculture is defending its new chicken inspection policy.

Study: Baby products linked to false positive drug test results in newborns.