May 9, 2023

Granite City Abortion Clinic Hospitalizes Four Women in Two Months

patient being wheeled into an ambulance outside
Hope Clinic for Women on March 16, 2023
This year during March and April alone, pro-life advocates have documented four medical emergencies at Hope Clinic for Women (HCW) in Granite City, Illinois.

Sidewalk advocates outside the clinic reported these emergencies to Operation Rescue, a pro-life organization that documents hospitalizations caused by abortion businesses. Operation Rescue was able to retrieve 911 recordings through information requests in three of these cases.



On March 10 at about 10am, an HCW employee called 911 to request an ambulance for a patient that was "having some bleeding" and was "currently stable." Except to confirm that the patient had "a procedure," the 911 operator did not ask any other questions about the patient's condition. This is out of character for calls of this nature. In other calls obtained by Operation Rescue, dispatchers often ask whether the patient is conscious, whether she is on blood thinners, or how long she has been bleeding.

On March 16, an employee called 911 shortly after noon to request an ambulance for a 22-year-old patient. Again, the dispatcher asked very few questions. The HCW employee requested that the patient be transferred to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. HCW is located directly across the street from a hospital, so requesting transport to St. Louis would cause a significant delay in care.

This is not the first time HCW has requested that patients facing medical emergencies be transported to Barnes. Operation Rescue suggested that Barnes's status as a level 1 trauma care center with a surgeon on duty 24/7 may have something to do with the request. 

On March 29, an employee from HCW called 911 just before 4pm to request an ambulance for a 26-year-old woman with "more bleeding than we would like her to." HCW again requested that the patient be transported to Barnes. The 911 dispatcher followed up with several questions, but she complained and apologized to the HCW employee several times. The dispatcher described the "new system" as "a pain." The dispatcher asked whether the patient was conscious or on blood thinners before the recording ends.

Operation Rescue asked for the full recording of each call, but Granite City cut this particular recording short. Additionally, the city refused to provide dispatch reports for any of these emergencies. Operation Rescue is usually able to retrieve these reports from other cities.

On April 28, pro-life onlookers witnessed a patient on a gurney being wheeled into a private ambulance with RuralMed EMS. Operation Rescue pointed out that RuralMed is based in Farina, Illinois, a 1.5-hour drive from HCW. The clinic would have called the private ambulance company directly, so Operation Rescue is unlikely to find any 911 records related to this emergency.

“Of all the abortion clinics currently operating, this is certainly one of the most deplorable,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. “We are working hard, doing all that is within our power, to close the doors of this death trap once and for all.”

May 8, 2023

Montana Gov. Signs Pro-Life Bills

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R)
On May 3, Montana Gov Greg Gianforte signed several pro-life bills into law. He promised to sign five more when they reach his desk.

The legislation signed by Gianforte includes:
  • the Infant Care and Safety Act, which provides legal protections for children born alive during attempted abortions. The law reinforces protections for children born during attempted abortions by requiring medical professionals to provide the same level of care that would be provided to other children born at the same gestational age. This legislation protects abortion survivors from being left to die if they are born alive during attempted abortions.
  • legislation prohibiting abortion after 24 weeks gestation. It contains an exception for instances when the mother's life is in danger.
  • legislation requiring abortion businesses to report adverse events that occur during the use of abortion pills. The federal government only requires abortion businesses to report fatal adverse events.
  • legislation reinforcing conscience protections for medical professionals. These protections make sure medical professionals have the right to refuse to perform abortions or prescribe certain kinds of drugs.
  • legislation preventing state tax dollars from being used to fund elective abortions.
“This package of pro-family, pro-child, pro-life bills will make a lasting difference in Montana,” Gianforte said. “We couldn’t have done it alone, and I just want to thank the thousands of Montanans throughout the state who made their voices heard and made today possible.”

May 5, 2023

Danville, IL Passes Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance

photo credit: Mark Lee Dickson / Facebook
On the evening of May 2, the city council of Danville, Illinois voted 8-7 to approve a "sanctuary city for the unborn" ordinance. This makes Danville the 67th city in the US (and the first in Illinois) to approve such an ordinance.

Danville Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr. was the tie-breaking vote.

The new ordinance requires compliance with federal statutes known as the Comstock Act. These statutes prohibit the mailing or receiving of abortion-inducing drugs or abortion paraphernalia. The ordinance finds that the 1873 Comstock Act “imposes felony criminal liability on every person who ships or receives abortion pills or abortion-related paraphernalia in interstate or foreign commerce” and that all such acts are “offenses under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.”

Because abortion clinics don't manufacture their own drugs or equipment, this interpretation of the Comstock Act could effectively ban abortion in the United States. Clinics and manufacturers could be subject to criminal liability for mailing drugs and equipment intended to cause abortion.

Danville citizens pushed for the ordinance in response to the Indianapolis abortion business "Clinic for Women" purchasing property there. The business likely intends to flout pro-life Indiana laws by directing women across the Illinois border.

Before the meeting, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the ACLU of Illinois sent letters to the city council arguing that the ordinance is unlawful under Illinois's 2019 Reproductive Health Act. Additionally, the Illinois Pharmacy Association attended the meeting to argue that the ordinance violates the Illinois Pharmacy Practice Act.

The ordinance argues that Illinois law cannot supersede federal law. Therefore, Illinois law cannot create a right for citizens to perform activities that are considered criminal under the Comstock Act.

Arguments by the Illinois Pharmacy Association caused several council members to fear that the ordinance would negatively impact the health of community members who might need mifepristone, misoprostol, or methotrexate to treat health conditions unrelated to pregnancy or abortion. These concerns were addressed after the meeting by Attorney Jonathan Mitchell.

“This ordinance does nothing to restrict the shipment or receipt of drugs that are used for non-abortion purposes,” Mitchell said. “It remains legal to ship and receive mifepristone and misoprostol if the intended use does not involve abortion.” 

Mitchell is credited as being one of the minds behind Texas's Heartbeat Act, and he has agreed to represent the city and its taxpayers at no cost if the ordinance causes the city to face litigation.

May 4, 2023

Kansas Legislators Override Pro-Abortion Governor's Vetoes

Three pro-life bills in Kansas were passed into law last week after legislators voted to override pro-abortion Gov. Laura Kelly's vetoes.

Kansas House Bill 2313, House Bill 2325, and House Bill 2264 will protect abortion survivors from medical neglect, prevent taxpayer dollars from supporting abortion, and require abortionists to inform women about abortion pill reversal.

House Bill 2313 requires medical professionals to treat children born alive after attempted abortions the same as any other children born at the same gestational age.

House Bill 2325 prohibits abortion businesses from buying liability insurance from a state fund.

House Bill 2264 requires abortion businesses to inform women about abortion pill reversal as part of the process for prescribing abortion pills. If a pregnant mother changes her mind after taking the abortion drug mifepristone, abortion pill reversal can save her child's life.

May 3, 2023

Vermont and Washington Pass Bills to Allow Mifepristone if FDA Approval Ends

Vermont and Washington state both passed bills that would legalize the distribution of mifepristone in those states, regardless of whether the drug is approved by the FDA.

On April 27, Vermont's House and Senate passed House Bill 89. The bill would legalize any abortion drugs approved by the FDA before Jan 1, 2023 (regardless of their current approval status), and characterize them as "reproductive health care services."

On the same day, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5768. The Washington law authorizes the Department of Corrections (DOC) to acquire and dispense mifepristone. The DOC would be empowered to sell these pills to abortion businesses.

The bills are a response to the ongoing legal challenge against the FDA's approval of the abortion pill. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which originates from a 20-year-old petition that the FDA did not respond to in the 180 days required. It alleges that the approval process didn't follow legal requirements and was based on faulty science.

May 2, 2023

ERA Revival Resolution Defeated Again in US Senate

On April 25, a measure claiming to revive the long-dead Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) by retroactively removing its ratification deadline failed in the Senate. While this may not have been the intent of its writers, the 1972 ERA is now interpreted by many to create a constitutional right to abortion. 

The Senate voted 51-47 in favor of the amendment, but 60 votes were required to end debate and bring the measure to a floor vote. Even if the resolution passed in the Senate, it was almost certainly doomed in the House.

The vote was mainly along party lines. Republicans Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Susan Collins (ME) sided with Democrats in favor of the resolution.

To ratify an amendment, it must be approved by three-quarters of the states. The ERA contained a ratification deadline of June 30, 1982, but several states decided to hold sham votes claiming to approve the amendment after this deadline. Between 2017 and 2020, the state legislatures of Illinois, Nevada, and Virginia voted to approve the amendment. These states then claimed that the two-thirds majority had been reached, and the amendment should be added to the US Constitution.

Judges appointed by Obama, Trump, and Biden have all ruled against the legality of such ratification efforts. The most recent ruling was in February by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The case was unanimously decided by a panel of judges appointed by all three presidents.

Additionally, six states have voted to rescind their ratifications. Five did so before the original ratification deadline, and North Dakota voted to do so in 2021.

May 1, 2023

Des Plaines Abortion Clinic Waits Five Hours to Call 911 for Hemorrhaging Patient

American Women's Medical Center in Des Plaines, IL
911 records obtained by Operation Rescue revealed yet another medical emergency caused by American Women's Medical Center in Des Plaines, Illinois. On October 7, 2022, the facility waited five hours to call for an ambulance after an abortion caused a 30-year-old patient to hemorrhage.

This is the same abortion clinic that nearly killed a patient by overdosing her on Fentanyl two months ago.

In the October 7 emergency, a clinic employee called 911 shortly before 3pm to request an ambulance. She told the 911 dispatcher that the hemorrhaging patient started bleeding after having an abortion at 10am, nearly five hours earlier.

Hemorrhaging is a common complication of both surgical and drug-induced abortions. If left untreated, blood loss from hemorrhaging can result in death.



When the dispatcher asked the employee if there was any medical staff with the patient, she responded, "She doesn't have any medical issue but, she is uh, her ninth pregnancy."

The dispatch report says that the first ambulance experienced a mechanical failure before it reached the patient. Emergency personnel had to dispatch a second ambulance before they could retrieve the bleeding patient.

“The odds seemed to have been stacked against this woman,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “First, the abortionist delayed calling 911 for emergency medical assistance for five long hours as this woman lay there hemorrhaging – a condition that could be life-threatening. Then, the ambulance stalled on the way.

“We pray she survived the events of that terrible day and that the experience will open her eyes to the truth of what she has done – perhaps multiple times. May she call on God’s mercy and forgiveness and begin to live a life that honors Him.”

April 28, 2023

Update on SB1909

Despite an overwhelming number of slips being filed in opposition to SB1909, the Illinois House Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee on April 25 voted 5-3 to advance the anti-PRC bill for a vote before the full House of Representatives.

The committee vote was along party lines.

Pro-life advocates filed a total of 18,028 witness slips opposing the legislation. Only 3,927 people filed slips in support of the legislation.

Pro-life advocates should reach out to their representatives and urge them to oppose SB1909.


Known as the "Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act," SB1909 threatens legal action against PRCs that allegedly use "deception, fraud, false pretense, false promise, or misrepresentation, or the concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact" to persuade women against abortion or offer pregnancy-related services.

Pro-life groups take particular issue with the vague "omission of any material fact" language. "Material fact" is not defined by the bill. If a judge decides that information regarding where a pregnant mother can have an abortion constitutes a "material fact," then a PRC could be convicted for refusing to refer a mother to an abortion business.

Danville City Council Advances "Sanctuary City for the Unborn" Ordinance

On April 25, the Public Services Committee of the Danville, Illinois city council voted 3-1 to advance a "sanctuary city for the unborn" ordinance. A final vote in the full 14-member City Council is expected on May 2.

The proposed ordinance would require compliance with the 1873 Comstock Act. The Comstock Act is federal legislation that prohibits the transportation of "obscene" materials through the mail. The law specifically prohibits abortion-inducing drugs and abortion-related paraphernalia from being transported this way. While Griswold v Connecticut famously struck down a portion of this legislation by legalizing contraception for married couples, the law was never entirely struck down. Now, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, pro-life groups hope to use the Comstock Act to protect the unborn.

Some pundits argue that the Comstock Act could have a broader effect on the nationwide legality of abortion than many realize. “Every single abortion in the United States, surgical or medical, requires something that comes in the mail,” said University of California-Davis School of Law professor Mary Ziegler wrote for Slate. “Abortion providers don’t create their own medical devices or surgical instruments. They don’t make their own drugs. They get them from medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical distributors.” If manufacturers and distributors then transport these items in the mail, they could be subject to the Comstock Act.

Residents are determined to pass the sanctuary city ordinance after an Indiana abortion business purchased a property in Danville. The city's location near the state border makes it ideal for Indiana abortionists trying to circumvent pro-life state laws.

The Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Initiative, a national organization working to help cities throughout the US enact such ordinances, met with residents several times last month to help educate the community on how the Comstock Act can be used in local ordinances.

Danville aldermen Ethan Burt, Eve Ludwig, and Robert Williams voted to advance the ordinance, while alderwoman Tricia Teague voted in opposition. Alderman Rick Stebing abstained, and the two remaining members of the Public Services Committee (aldermen Sherry Pickering and Darren York), were absent.

The day before the April 25 vote, the ACLU of Illinois sent a letter via email to the committee asking them to reject the ordinance. The ACLU made two arguments. The first is that the ordinance would violate Illinois's 2019 Reproductive Health Act. The second is that the Comstock Act is not applicable in Illinois.

The Comstock Act, as federal law, should override state law. If courts interpret the Comstock Act to broadly prohibit the transportation of abortion paraphernalia and find the law to be constitutional, then the ACLU's first argument falls moot. The US Supreme Court may issue a decision on this as Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (a pro-life challenge to the FDA's approval of the abortion drug mifepristone) advances through the courts.

The ACLU's second argument leans on a memo issued by Biden's Department of Justice last December. As an opinion written by an executive bureaucrat (not a judge), that memo does not create a judicial precedent. In that memo, Assistant Attorney General Christopher Schroeder argued that the Comstock Act does not do what it says. He argues that it only prohibits the transportation of abortion paraphernalia when the sender intends that the recipient will use it in violation of a separate law. This interpretation by the Biden administration is shaky, and it could easily be rejected by courts.

During the April 25 meeting, Danville Mayor Rickey Williams shared that Attorney Jonathan F. Mitchell has promised to represent Danville "at no cost to the city or its taxpayers" if the city faces a lawsuit stemming from the ordinance. Mitchell has argued five times before the US Supreme Court, and he is credited with being one of the minds behind Texas's groundbreaking Heartbeat Act.

North Dakota Gov. Signs Law to Clear Up Language in "Trigger" and Heartbeat Laws

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R)
On April 24, North Dakota Gov Doug Burgum signed a bill designed to protect unborn children from abortion after the state supreme court struck down earlier pro-life laws.

North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Jon Jensen wrote in the majority decision last month, “While the regulation of abortion is within the authority of the legislature under the North Dakota Constitution, RRWC has demonstrated likely success on the merits that there is a fundamental right to an abortion in the limited instances of life-saving and health-preserving circumstances, and the statute is not narrowly tailored to satisfy strict scrutiny.”

The new legislation intends to clean up language in the state's "trigger" bill and heartbeat bill so that they will survive judicial scrutiny. Under the new standards, abortion would be prohibited at all gestational ages with exceptions for women facing "death or serious health risk." There is also an exception to allow abortion in cases of rape or incest during the first six weeks of gestation.

This bill clarifies and refines existing state law which was triggered into effect by the (U.S. Supreme Court) Dobbs decision and reaffirms North Dakota as a pro-life state,” Gov. Burgum said in a statement.

Click here to read more.

April 27, 2023

Des Plaines Abortion Clinic Nearly Kills Patient by Fentanyl Overdose

American Women's Medical Center in Des Plaines, IL
On February 20, A 34-year-old patient nearly died after an abortion clinic in Des Plaines, Illinois overdosed the patient on Fentanyl and Versed.

The incident occurred at the American Women's Medical Center in Des Plaines. Chilling audio from a 911 call obtained by Operation Rescue captures the moment when the patient stopped breathing.

You can listen to a recording of the 911 call here.


The abortionist, Dr. Cheryl Chastine, spoke with the 911 operator on speaker phone to explain the situation. "Ok, I have a patient that I gave fentanyl and Versed [a generic name for the drug midazolam] to who is... we are trying to reverse those things right now. Respiratory status has been pretty questionable. She is actually coming around trying to breathe on her own."

Chastine went on to say that her oxygen levels were at 83%, a level that would eventually cause brain damage if not raised. She asked that the 911 operator stay on the line in case the situation worsened.

Shortly afterward, Chastine told the 911 operator that the patient stopped breathing, and she began administering rescue breaths.

Background chatter in the recording suggests that the clinic administered Narcan at this time. Narcan is a drug used to counteract the effects of Fentanyl after an overdose. Emergency personnel often carry Narcan to save drug addicts who overdose when taking Fentanyl recreationally. In this case, the overdose was caused by Chastine and the abortion clinic.

April 26, 2023

Mississippi Gov Signs Group of Pro-Life Laws

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R)
Last week, Pro-Life Mississippi Gov Tate Reeves signed several pro-life laws designed to help support women and families seeking alternatives to abortion.

“Mississippi will always protect life. Our state will continue to be a beacon on the hill, a symbol of hope for the country, and a model for the nation,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “Mississippi will be relentless in its commitment to life. We will be relentless in our support of mothers and children. And we will be relentless in our efforts to advance the New Pro-life Agenda. The legislation I signed today is further proof that when it comes to protecting life, Mississippi isn’t just talking the talk – we’re walking the walk.”

The new laws help mothers and families in several ways:

House Bill 510 establishes a foster parents bill of rights. It is meant to provide transparency to foster parents about their rights and responsibilities.

House Bill 1670 expands the tax credit for pregnancy resource centers from $3.5 million to $10 million.

Senate Bill 2696 creates an income tax credit for qualified adoption expenses. The program offers $10,000 in tax credits for families who adopt children from Mississippi and $5,000 for families who adopt children from out of state.

House Bill 1318 increases the age that mothers can drop off their children in safe haven baby boxes.

April 25, 2023

Court Suspends Enforcement of Colorado Abortion Pill Reversal Ban

On April 22, a federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of a Colorado law that would prohibit pro-life doctors from using abortion pill reversal (APR).

Pro-abortion Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed the bill into law on April 14. If enforced, it would threaten healthcare providers with disciplinary action if they provide APR to patients. APR would be considered "unprofessional conduct" according to state medical agencies until they meet to determine whether APR meets a "generally accepted standard of medical practice."

Judge Daniel Domenico placed a temporary stay on the enforcement of Colorado's APR ban after a lawsuit from the Catholic healthcare clinic Bella Health. The clinic argued that the law violates its First Amendment rights and religious freedoms.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser later revealed to the court that state medical and nursing boards have chosen not to enforce the ban until at least September when those boards complete a rule-making process regarding the regulation of APR.

APR can reverse the effects of the abortion pill mifepristone, potentially saving the preborn child's life if taken within 48 hours after mifepristone. Mifepristone kills an unborn child by disrupting the pregnancy hormone progesterone. This hormone helps facilitate the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the preborn child. By disrupting this flow, mifepristone kills the child through starvation and asphyxiation.

APR counteracts mifepristone by simply administering more progesterone. Progesterone is already prescribed by doctors to help women facing medically difficult pregnancies. This supplementary progesterone can restore the flow of oxygen and nutrients to preborn children and save lives.


April 24, 2023

Supreme Court Returns Abortion Pill Challenge to 5th Circuit

On the evening of April 21, the US Supreme Court issued a decision allowing the Biden FDA to continue its lax regulation of the abortion drug mifepristone while a legal challenge progresses through federal courts.

The Supreme Court's 7-2 decision sent Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration back to the 5th Circuit for a full hearing. That hearing is scheduled for May 17.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, arguing that the Biden DOJ and the abortion pill manufacturer Danco “are not entitled to a stay because they have not shown that they are likely to suffer irreparable harm in the interim.”

The lawsuit stems from a 2002 petition from doctors and pro-life groups challenging mifepristone's approval. That petition, which was stonewalled by the FDA for over 20 years, argued that the FDA unlawfully fast-tracked mifepristone's approval through a process intended for the treatment of life-threatening diseases. Further, the groups argue that the FDA's research does not support the drug's approval.

National Right to Life released a paper addressing seven myths about mifepristone's approval process and safety record. That paper can be viewed here.

The 5th Circuit ruling stayed by the US Supreme Court would have reverted mifepristone's regulatory status back to the standards used from 2000 to 2016. Those standards required in-person doctor visits, limited the abortion pill's use to the first seven weeks of pregnancy, prohibited the mail delivery of abortion pills, and required the abortion industry to report non-fatal adverse events.

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Erik Baptist, who is representing the pro-life groups' challenge to the FDA, said the Supreme Court's decision was not unexpected.

“As is common practice, the Supreme Court has decided to maintain the status quo that existed prior to our lawsuit while our challenge to the FDA’s illegal approval of chemical abortion drugs and its removal of critical safeguards for those drugs moves forward,” Baptist said. “Our case seeking to put women’s health above politics continues on an expedited basis in the lower courts. The FDA must answer for the damage it has caused to the health of countless women and girls and the rule of law by failing to study how dangerous the chemical abortion drug regimen is and unlawfully removing every meaningful safeguard, even allowing for mail-order abortions. We look forward to a final outcome in this case that will hold the FDA accountable.”

Click here to read more.

April 21, 2023

Anti-PRC Bill Advancing in Illinois House of Representatives

We are asking pro-life advocates to file witness slips against a dangerous piece of legislation that could shut down pro-life pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) throughout the state. The Illinois House of Representatives Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee announced that it plans to consider SB1909 at a hearing on April 25, 2023. If the bill passes this committee, it will move on to the full Illinois House.


After filling out the form with your information, make sure to click the boxes titled "opponent" to signal opposition to SB1909.

You can write "self" in the "Firm/Business or Agency" field and "Mr.", "Ms.", or "Mrs." in the "Title field.

Finally, click "record of appearance only" to file the witness slip.

After passing SB1909 in the Illinois Senate, pro-abortion legislators are advancing the bill in the Illinois House of Representatives. This legislation, titled the "Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act," threatens pro-life pregnancy resource centers with legal action for trying to dissuade mothers from choosing abortion.

It appears that the House of Representatives is abandoning HB2463, the original sister bill to SB1909. Instead, the House will simply push the Senate's bill. The Senate passed amendments to SB1909 that softened it somewhat, but pro-life advocates fear the bill might require PRCs to refer women for abortions.

The "Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act" threatens legal action against PRCs that allegedly use "deception, fraud, false pretense, false promise, or misrepresentation, or the concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact" to persuade women against abortion or offer pregnancy-related services.

Pro-life groups take particular issue with the vague "omission of any material fact" language. "Material fact" is not defined by the bill. If a judge decides that information regarding where a pregnant mother can have an abortion constitutes a "material fact," then a PRC could be convicted for refusing to refer a mother to an abortion business.

April 20, 2023

Biden Admin to Launch National Abortion Referral Hotline

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra
photo credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr
Last week, the Biden administration's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a "Notice of Funding Opportunity," seeking Title X grantees to launch an abortion referral hotline as part of the Title X program. The HHS expects to provide $1.5 million in grant funding to the recipient who establishes the hotline.

The "Title X Nondirective Options Information, Counseling, and Referrals Hotline" would offer counseling and referrals for abortion, prenatal care and delivery, infant care, adoption, and foster care.

A Title X grant recipient operating the hotline would be expected to "establish and operate a national hotline, develop and maintain a detailed national list of nondirective options referral service sites, and build and maintain a national website to compliment the hotline."

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra issued a press release to coincide with the announcement.

“When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, nearly half a century of precedent changed overnight,” said Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to protecting women’s lawful access to reproductive health care, including abortion care. President Biden signed not one but two executive orders calling on HHS to take action to meet this moment and we have wasted no time in doing so. Today’s action is yet another important step HHS is taking to protect patients accessing critical care.”

Supreme Court Extends Temporary Approval of Abortion Pill

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito
On April 19, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito issued a ruling to extend the temporary pause against the Fifth Circuit's abortion pill decision.

Last week, the Fifth Circuit issued a ruling in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. Food and Drug Administration. The decision upheld part of a district court's decision suspending the approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. The Fifth Circuit ruled that the FDA could maintain its approval of mifepristone, but it must revert changes made in 2016, 2021, and 2023 that loosened the pill's regulation.

Alito's extension allows the Biden administration to continue its lax regulation of the abortion pill while the Supreme Court considers the case. The extension expires at 11:59 pm on Friday, April 21.

April 19, 2023

Kansas and Arizona Governors Veto Born-Alive Protection Bills

On April 14, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) vetoed a bill that would have offered protection to babies who survive attempted abortions. This follows a similar veto by Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) one week earlier.

The Kansas bill would have required any child born alive after an attempted abortion to be afforded “the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care provider would render to any other child born alive.”

Additionally, it would have required abortion businesses to transport surviving children to a hospital for emergency care. Abortionists who violate the law would be guilty of a felony.

Pro-lifers are hopeful that the large pro-life majority in Kansas will override Gov. Kelly's veto.

Danielle Underwood, the Kansans for Life Director of Communications, released the following statement: 
“Legislators from both sides of the aisle stood together to state the simple fact that babies born alive after an attempted abortion should not be left to die on a cold, steel, table. These babies deserve protection and the same medical care as any other newborn of the same gestational age. This once again proves how out of touch Gov. Kelly is with the values of the people of Kansas. We now call on all Kansans to urge their legislators to do the right thing and override Gov. Kelly’s heartless veto.”
Gov. Hobbs's veto in Arizona is much more likely to be the final say on the state's born-alive protection bill. The state legislature only contains a slim pro-life majority.

April 18, 2023

Florida Gov. Signs Heartbeat Protection Act

On April 13, Florida Gov. Ron Desantis signed the Heartbeat Protection Act into law. This law would prohibit abortion in Florida after six weeks with some exceptions. The law received strong support from Florida lawmakers; passing by votes of  26-13 in the Senate and 70-40 in the House.

The new law can't be enforced until the Florida Supreme Court issues its final decision on Florida's current 15-week limit. After Dobbs v. Jackson, the court allowed Florida to enforce the 15-week limit pending a final decision. Pro-lifers are hopeful this is a sign that the court will uphold the 15-week limit. If that law is upheld, the new six-week limit would come into effect 30 days later.

Florida's new law contains exceptions for medical emergencies, rape, incest, or when the child is diagnosed with a fatal condition.

Abortionists or anyone who actively participates in illegal abortions under the new law could be charged with a third-degree felony. This is punishable by up to five years in prison. The charge increases to a second-degree felony if the mother dies during the illegal abortion. This is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The new law also provides $25 million for pregnancy resources and material support to help families with pregnancy and raising young children. These funds can be used for diapers, formula, cribs, clothing, parenting classes, and other parenting-related expenses.

“We are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida,” Gov. DeSantis said in a press release. “I applaud the Legislature for passing the Heartbeat Protection Act that expands pro-life protections and provides additional resources for young mothers and families.”

The press release continues, “While other states like California and New York have legalized infanticide up until birth, Governor DeSantis has enacted historic measures to defend the dignity of human life and transform Florida into a pro-family state.”

“This is a wonderful day for babies and their mothers in Florida,” said Lynda Bell, president of Florida Right to Life. “Pro-abortion groups lose the debate when they say we don’t care about women because this bill provides over $25 million in support for women and girls in an unexpected pregnancy. We Floridians value unborn children and their mothers.”

April 17, 2023

Supreme Court Temporarily Reinstates FDA Abortion Pill Approval

On April 14, one day after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld part of a decision suspending the FDA's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, the US Supreme Court issued an order temporarily reinstating the pill while they consider the case.

The ongoing court battle in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. Food and Drug Administration concerns a group of pro-life groups and physicians who argue that the FDA unlawfully fast-tracked the approval of mifepristone through a process intended for the treatment of life-threatening illnesses. Further, the group argues that the FDA loosened mifepristone regulations improperly by ending a requirement for the abortion industry to report non-fatal adverse events. Afterward, the FDA used the resulting lack of data to claim that mifepristone is safe.

The Fifth Circuit ruled 2-1 that the FDA could maintain its approval of mifepristone, but its decision reverted changes made in 2016, 2021, and 2023 to loosen its regulation. The Fifth Circuit's decision would have left in place the original requirements that the pill only be used up to the seventh week of pregnancy, that pill methods of abortion take place over three doctors visits, that the drug only be dispensed in-person by doctors, and that abortion providers must report non-fatal adverse events.

Justice Samuel Alito granted the Biden administration's request for an emergency stay against the Fifth Circuit's ruling until April 19. He requested an additional briefing by April 18.

Erin Hawley, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom (which is representing the pro-life groups), told CNA that the temporary ruling was expected. Hawley said,
“The entry of a brief administrative stay is standard operating procedure whenever the Supreme Court is asked to consider an emergency request like this one. It gives the court sufficient time to consider the parties’ arguments before ruling. We look forward to explaining why the FDA has not met its heavy burden to pause the parts of the district court’s decision that restore the critical safeguards for women and girls that were unlawfully removed by the FDA.”
While the Supreme Court's order persists, the Biden FDA can continue its lax regulatory standards regarding mifepristone. These allow mifepristone to be prescribed up to the tenth week of pregnancy, prescribed without a doctor's visit, and distributed via mail order.
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