Abortion

A group of House Republicans said Tuesday that a bill to fund the federal government should include provisions targeting the contraception mandate in President Obama's healthcare law.

GOP lawmakers reintroduced a bill Tuesday to repeal the contraception mandate. They also pressed their party's leaders to roll back the provision as part of a continuing resolution later this month to keep the federal government operating.

"This attack on religious freedom demands immediate congressional action," the 14 lawmakers wrote. "Nothing short of a full exemption for both nonprofit and for-profit entities will satisfy the demands of the Constitution and common sense."

Opponents of abortion rights are rallying support for softening President Obama's birth-control mandate in a bill to fund the government.

The current continuing resolution, or CR, expires March 27. On Monday, a coalition of groups that oppose abortion called for a new CR that will allow certain non-religious groups not to cover the "morning after" pill in their health plans.

"There must be no religious 'test' by the government as to who, and what type of entities, are entitled to a conscience," said Susan B. Anthony (SBA) List President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement. "Congress must act immediately to ensure the right of citizens to be free from government compulsion of this most fundamental issue." 

Republicans hope the study confirms their suspicion the groups are focusing more on abortion and less on other healthcare services.

The state of Oklahoma is coming to the aid of Hobby Lobby in the company's challenge to the contraception mandate in President Obama's healthcare law.

The move puts Oklahoma at the forefront of two important legal challenges to the healthcare law. It's already leading the charge to cut off the flow of tax credits to people who buy insurance through a federally run exchange.

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt filed a brief Tuesday defending Hobby Lobby, which is based in Oklahoma, in the company's challenge to the law's contraception mandate.

Arkansas Senate passes bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks

States' choices set up national health experiment

Tobacco and anti-cancer activists agree on health law provision

A group of GOP senators introduced a bill Thursday that would prohibit minors from crossing state lines to avoid parental involvement in the decision to get an abortion.

Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) are the lead sponsors of the legislation. Some states don’t require parental consent for minors to get an abortion, causing some to cross state lines in order to avoid telling their parents about the procedure.

A federal judge on Monday overturned Arizona's attempt to cut off federal funding to Planned Parenthood.

Arizona's law, like similar statutes in other GOP-led states, sought to cut off Planned Parenthood's access to state and federal Medicaid funds. The law instead gave a preference to clinics and providers that do not also provide abortion.

Judge Neil Wake overturned the program Monday, after issuing an injunction last year that prevented the new law from taking effect while it was being challenged in court.

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The outgoing pope won praise Monday for his outspoken teachings against abortion, an issue that has divided U.S. Catholics for decades.

The deeply conservative Pope Benedict XVI "unified Catholics," said Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York in a statement Monday.

"Some values, such as human life, stand out above all others, he taught again and again. It is a message for eternity," Dolan said. 

The bishops said the contraception policy requires Catholic institutions to participate in healthcare coverage they find immoral.

President Obama congratulated abortion-rights supporters Tuesday night with a video commemorating the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

The 90-second video played at a dinner for NARAL Pro-Choice America, where speakers reflected on an election cycle full of fierce debates over women's health issues.

"We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to protecting a woman’s access to safe, affordable healthcare and her right to reproductive freedom, because we know that we are better off as a nation when women are treated fairly and equally in every aspect in life, whether it’s the salary you earn or the health decisions you make," Obama said in the video message.