As Attorney General Andrea Campbell prepares her office and the state of Massachusetts for the potential threat posed by Donald Trump’s victory, she told health regulators on Thursday that they would be able to improve access to reproductive and gender-affirming care. expressed concern about maintaining the
Campbell’s remarks followed recent statements from Governor Maura Healey.
Reassurance about abortion protection He appeared after criticizing Trump’s controversial attorney general pick in Massachusetts on Wednesday. Healey made the comments about abortion before President Trump announced former Rep. Matt Gaetz as his general election candidate, but the governor said Thursday that the nomination should be “immediately withdrawn.”
When asked last week about the threat of a national abortion ban, Mr. Healey touted the Commonwealth’s own abortion protection law. The law was passed by Congress in 2022 to protect providers and patients, including those traveling from other states, from legal action. Supreme Court decides Roe v. Wade. Campbell also praised the shield law Thursday, but said his office will review it and other laws to see if any adjustments need to be made to withstand potential challenges.
“Of course, we are deeply concerned about protecting access to the full range of reproductive health care, gender-affirming care. We want to continue our work to address the maternal health disparities that we see in our communities,” Campbell said in Health Policy. Thursday morning committee hearing.
Asked how the administration would adjust the Medicaid budget, Healey separately told reporters Thursday that he was concerned about the impact Trump’s presidency would have on federal health care spending.
“As we have a new administration, we’re going to be watching it closely and doing everything we can to ensure access to treatment,” Healy said. “I mean, Massachusetts, look, we’re a state where everyone has access to health care by law. That’s not going away. But it’s also true that every state relies on federal funding. So I hope they don’t do that, I hope they don’t take it away because it’s putting people’s lives at risk, not just in Massachusetts, but across the country. I hope.”
Campbell warned at the hearing that the agency’s efforts to address health care access and cost issues could be “dismantled” by the Trump administration. She then pointed out that President Trump’s AG nominee supports a national abortion ban. Gates co-sponsored a national abortion ban in 2021 when “cardiac activity” is detected (cardiac activity typically occurs around six weeks into pregnancy, according to KFF Health News).
“Not only is there a lack of transparency, but also from people coming into the field, people who don’t necessarily believe in transparency, people who want to make significant changes to federal laws and federal policy. can solve the problem. “Those who block access to this important care, those who demonize certain people, including the LGBTQ+ community and transgender youth, and how it affects gender-affirming care and other necessary care that we know is important. “Does it threaten access to the United States?” Campbell said in a speech. Hearing.
President Trump has said he does not support federal anti-abortion policies and said policies should be left to individual states to decide.
During the hearing, Campbell gave a shoutout to Sen. Cindy Friedman, who led the shield law in Congress, noting that Massachusetts was the first state in the country to pass such a bill. Campbell said Massachusetts also boasts “the strongest shield law to protect patients and health care providers.”
“And we’re going to go back to the table to make sure that’s strong and make sure that our other laws and regulations are strong in the face of what could happen down the road,” Campbell said. The state’s top public health officer did not go into detail about the flaws in the shield law, but officials were also promoted among them.
Uncertainty brought about by President Trump’s inauguration.
A spokesperson for Campbell did not respond to the news service’s questions about which provisions of the shield law need to be strengthened.
The advocacy group Reproductive Equity Now warned on Wednesday that Gaetz is a “close and personal ally” of anti-abortion politicians and activists. The group pointed to Gaetz’s record of voting against laws protecting abortion care, voting for restrictions on abortion care and calling abortion activists “fat and ugly.”
“Donald Trump and J.D. Vance’s plan to use the power of the Department of Justice to enforce the Comstock Act will reduce access to abortion across the country,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, president of Reproductive Equity Now. “There is good reason to believe that Matt Gaetz will carry out the plan.” . “We urge the Senate to conduct a due diligence investigation, recognize the threat Mr. Gates poses to abortion access, and protect the American people from an extremist politician unfit to lead this nation’s top prosecutor.” I ask you to protect it.”
Without mentioning Gates by name, Campbell opened his remarks at the HPC’s annual cost trends hearing by criticizing his chances of becoming the nation’s top law enforcement official.
“This applies to individuals under investigation for sexual abuse involving minors, individuals who are Holocaust deniers, individuals who support a national ban on abortion without exception, individuals who wish to have federal funding withdrawn.” “For example, individuals who have been and are currently working in nonprofit organizations that assist immigrants who are already in the United States,” Campbell said. “And the list goes on, and it’s not even January yet. State attorneys general across the country are committed to the rule of law and the support of quality health care, reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, behavioral health services, maternal health care, and the list goes on. We will be on the front lines defending our fundamental rights and freedoms, including access to inequality.”
Mr. Healey said Mr. Trump’s nomination of Mr. Gaetz was a “very disingenuous appointment.”
“It should be withdrawn immediately,” the governor said. “Many Republicans have already spoken out on this issue, but as a former law enforcement officer and attorney general, I think this is completely disingenuous and horrifying. And Donald Trump immediately retracted it. You should.”
The governor also questioned Gaetz’s next steps.
“I don’t understand how you can find someone who is the subject of a criminal investigation and has no experience in law enforcement or as a government lawyer or prosecutor and has said or done things that are contrary to the United States Constitution and the Constitution.” There are a lot of them,” she said.
Colin A. Young contributed reporting.
