June 28, 2022
Biden Calls on Congress to Codify a Right to Abortion
June 27, 2022
Pritzker Announces Plan to Call Special Session for Abortion Legislation
"To that end, I am informing the General Assembly that I will be calling them into special session in the coming weeks to more firmly protect women’s reproductive rights in Illinois and address the challenges posed by this radical Supreme Court decision. I’m grateful to have the support and partnership of House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon in this effort. Together, the Democratic leadership in Illinois is committed to taking swift action to further enshrine our commitment to reproductive healthcare."
At the time of writing, it has not been announced what legislation the General Assembly will consider during the special session. The IFRL will let our readers know about pro-abortion legislation. To stay up-to-date, subscribe to our newsletter by entering your name and email in the blue box on the right side of this webpage. You will need to be on the desktop version of the website to do so. If you are on mobile, tap "view web version" near the bottom of the screen.
June 24, 2022
Roe v. Wade Overturned!
The Supreme Court released its long-awaited decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on Friday morning. The decision overturns Roe v. Wade, thereby returning the issue of abortion back to the states and the democratic process.
For the first time since 1973, states, through their elected representatives, will have the power to protect the lives of the unborn from being killed through abortion.
The entire decision, written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, can be read here.
This case challenged Mississippi's 2018 law prohibiting abortion after 15 weeks of gestation. While it was initially struck down by lower courts, Mississippi took the opportunity to argue for the complete overturn of the Supreme Court's abortion precedent. Today, their efforts succeeded. The lives of millions might be saved as a result.
In the decision, Alito writes, “There is nothing in the Constitution about abortion, and the Constitution does not implicitly protect the right. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives."
Legal abortion will continue in states, such as Illinois, that do not pass laws protecting the unborn. The pro-life movement is not over, but overturning Roe is a significant step that will save lives.
Louisiana Gov. Signs Pro-Life Bills into Law
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) |
June 23, 2022
US Senators Announce Pro-life Legislation
“National Right to Life applauds Sens. Mitt Romney, Richard Burr, and Steve Daines for their work on the Family Security Act 2.0. The plan would permit pregnant mothers to receive a monthly payment starting several months prior to a child’s due date. This life-affirming provision not only empowers mothers, but acknowledges that life begins before birth. This funding would directly support mothers and their unborn children to help prepare for the arrival of the baby.”
The senators released an explainer of how the new benefit program would work if the Family Security Act 2.0 is passed into law. That can be found here.
June 22, 2022
March for Life Chicago Condemns Pritzker's Campaign to Make Illinois an Abortion Destination
June 21, 2022
Guttmacher Report Shows Abortion Spike in 2020
"Abortion incidence increased 25% between 2017 and 2020, with almost all of the increase (24%) occurring between 2017 and 2019. Some of this was due to more people coming from surrounding states like Missouri, but abortion also increased substantially among Illinois residents. One likely contributing factor is that Illinois allowed the use of state Medicaid funds to pay for abortion care starting in January 2018. Another factor is Illinois had more abortion clinics in 2020 than in 2017 (30 and 25, respectively) and this also may have made abortion more accessible."
The report hypothesizes that the nationwide increases are the result of state laws expanding Medicaid funding, requiring private insurance to cover abortion, and allowing less qualified physicians to commit abortions. "Charitable" abortion funds paid for more abortions, and some states repealed pro-life laws during this period.
June 20, 2022
Iowa Supreme Court Rules There is No Right to Abortion in State Constitution
June 17, 2022
Investigators: Suspect in Kavanaugh Assassination Attempt Called 911 Himself after Conversation with Sister
June 16, 2022
National Right to Life Committee Proposes Model Post-Roe State Law to Protect Unborn
NRLC President Carol Tobias |
“For decades, National Right to Life and its state affiliates have led the effort to pass life-affirming laws at the state level that protect unborn children and their mothers – efforts that have drastically reduced the number of abortions and brought us to this moment in our nation’s history,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “With this model law, we are laying out a roadmap for the right-to-life movement so that, in a post-Roe society, we can protect many mothers and their children from the tragedy of abortion.”
The US Supreme Court's upcoming decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization has the potential to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the issue of abortion back to state legislators and the democratic process. If this happens, states could use the NRLC model to draft laws protecting the unborn.
Under the NRLC's model law, abortion would be prohibited except when necessary to prevent the death of the mother. Violations include committing an abortion, aiding and abetting an illegal abortion, trafficking in abortion drugs, and trafficking minors to obtain illegal abortions. The model law also ensures that the mother of the unborn child cannot face criminal penalties.
Local prosecutors and states' attorneys general would be able to enforce this law, but individuals could also file civil lawsuits against those who violate the law. Potential penalties include licensing revocation, compensatory damages to any plaintiff who has suffered from the abortion, punitive damages payable to pregnancy centers, and reasonable attorney's fees.
“In the event Roe v. Wade is overturned, states will have a significant opportunity to protect the unborn,” said James Bopp, Jr., general counsel for National Right to Life. “In doing so, it is important that such states not only prohibit illegal abortions, but also employ a robust enforcement regime, so that these laws are sure to be enforced.” He continued, “Our model law does just that. It builds on the substantial experience the right-to-life movement has had in developing pro-life legislation and we believe it presents the best opportunity to protect the unborn.”
Click here to read the text of the model law.
June 15, 2022
NY Gov. Signs Six Pro-Abortion Bills
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul |
"Today, we are taking action to protect our service providers from the retaliatory actions of anti-abortion states and ensure that New York will always be a safe harbor for those seeking reproductive healthcare," Gov. Hochul said in a press release. "New York has always been a beacon for those yearning to be free. And I want the world to hear — loud and clear — that will not change."
The bills that Gov. Hochul signed into law are as follows:
S. 9039A creates a right to sue any person who attempts to stop or interfere with an abortion. According to Hochul's press release, "This will allow individuals to bring a claim against someone who has sued them or brought charges against them for facilitating, aiding, or obtaining reproductive health or endocrine care services in accordance with New York State Law."
S. 9077A prohibits New York law enforcement from cooperating with pro-life states during investigations of abortions that are considered legal in New York. Additionally, the law protects abortionists from being extradited to other states for abortion-related crimes.
S. 9079B prohibits "professional misconduct charges" against abortionists who commit or recommend abortions for women who reside in states where abortion is illegal.
S. 9080B prohibits medical malpractice insurance companies from “taking any adverse action” against an abortionist who commits an abortion for a woman from out of state.
S. 9384A allows abortionists to participate in New York's "address confidentiality program," for safety reasons.
S. 470 creates a task force to examine "the unmet health and resource needs facing pregnant people in New York." This task force will also study pro-life pregnancy centers; opening the door to future government action that would punish them for providing "limited services."
June 14, 2022
California State Lawmakers Introduce Amendment to Create a State Right to Abortion
June 13, 2022
President Biden Considering Executive Orders to Strengthen Abortion if Roe is Overturned
President Joe Biden Screenshot from Jimmy Kimmel Live via YouTube |
- Eliminating FDA restrictions on abortion drugs
- Creating travel vouchers that would use federal tax dollars to pay the expenses of women who must travel to get abortions
- Allowing abortionists to work on the federally-owned property in pro-life states
June 10, 2022
Wisconsin Gov. Calls Special Session to Repeal State Abortion Ban
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) |
June 9, 2022
Armed Man Arrested Near Justice Kavanaugh's Home for Alleged Assassination Plot
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh |
June 8, 2022
Michigan Legislature Asks Court for Permission to Intervene in Lawsuit Against 1931 Abortion Law
June 7, 2022
Pro-Life Legislators Ask HHS to Investigate Fetal Tissue Research at University of Pittsburgh
June 6, 2022
US Treasury Secretary Testifies that Abortion Boosts the Economy
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen |
Yellen testified during the Financial Stability Oversight Council’s report to the Senate Banking Committee. During that report, pro-abortion politicians took the opportunity to turn the discussion away from economic topics and toward the issue of abortion.
When Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) asked Yellen what impact the overturn of Roe v. Wade would have on the economy, she responded:
“I believe that eliminating the right of women to make decisions about when and whether to have children would have very damaging effects on the economy and would set women back decades. Roe v. Wade and access to reproductive health care, including abortion, helped lead to increased labor force participation. It enabled many women to finish school that increased their earning potential. It allowed women to plan and balance their families and careers, and research also shows it had a favorable impact on the well-being and earnings of children.”
She continued by arguing that young, low-income, black women will be unable to get the education necessary to participate in the workforce unless they have abortions. She further argued that the children of these mothers will grow up in poverty themselves (implying that they would be better off aborted).
Killing the children of poor mothers, black or otherwise, is not an ethical solution to the issue of poverty. It should go without saying that children's lives have value regardless of their parents' financial positions.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who was born to a single-parent black household, pushed back against Yellen's arguments both during the hearing and afterward in an op-ed for the Washington Post.
“There are voices today who would tell you that our lives were hopeless,” he wrote. “That a life like the one we had as a family was not a life worth living, and that the United States would be better off if people like us didn’t exist at all.”
June 3, 2022
Michigan Gov. Orders State Agencies to Protect Abortionists from Investigations
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) |
Additionally, the order requires state agencies to "identify and assess potential opportunities to increase protections for reproductive health care."
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a statement applauding Whitmer's order.
“It is incumbent upon those of us who hold public office to exercise the full authority of our positions to extend support and protection for women in our state — and our country,” Nessel said. “That is why I have made clear that I will not use the resources of my office to enforce or defend Michigan’s 1931 statute criminalizing abortion. I refuse to put millions of Michigan women at risk by restricting their access to safe abortions.”
Michigan's 1931 ban was recently suspended by Judge Elizabeth Gleicher. She did not recuse herself, despite the fact that she argued against the same law on behalf of Planned Parenthood in 1997.
ACLU Challenges Florida's 15-Week Abortion Ban
The ACLU lawsuit, filed on behalf of several abortion businesses throughout Florida, argues that Florida's "Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality Act" violates Florida's Constitution's privacy clause.
Florida's law includes exceptions for severe fetal anomalies, to save the life of the mother, or to prevent serious physical impairment to the mother's body.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law on April 14th. He said at the time, “This will represent the most significant protections for life that we have seen in a generation.”