House Republicans grapple with how far to go with abortion
when in charge. Mike Garcia (California Republican) ran for re-election last year and gained support. SBA Prolife Americaa leading anti-abortion group, welcomed him For voting “consistently to save the life of an unborn child.”
However, the SBA is unlikely to endorse Garcia in its next re-election campaign.
This is because influential groups no longer support candidates for the House or Senate who do not support legislation banning most abortions at 15 weeks. Marjorie DannenfelserThe group’s president told Theodoric last week – the same standard SBA applies to presidential candidates.
- The group’s decision creates a new litmus test that many anti-abortion legislators may not pass. Only 101 House Republicans — less than half of Congress — co-sponsored the bill It was introduced last year by a member of parliament. Christopher H. Smith (RN.J.) Limit abortion nationwide at 15 weeks of gestation.
While some Republicans may support the bill without signing it, others say the bridge is too far.
“Frankly, I don’t think it’s our role in Congress at the federal level to discuss this topic,” said Garcia, who represents the district outside Los Angeles. President Biden told us that he carried “This is a matter of state rights.”
manager Brandon Williams (R. said in september He will vote against a 15-week ban. He sent questions to his office about his posture on Friday, but did not respond to requests for comment.
Other Republicans in swing districts who secured support for the SBA last year backed the bill for 15 weeks.
for example: manager don bacon Representing districts Biden endorsed in 2020, R-Neb. co-sponsored Smith’s bill last year and believes it continues to be popular among voters.
manager Zachary Nunn (R-Iowa), a freshman representing the swing district, did not directly answer whether he supported the 15-week federal limit in a short interview Thursday, but his vote in the Iowa legislature He voted in 2018 to ban rape, incest, and abortion after detecting fetal heart activity, except for saving the life of the mother. .
- Democrats believe backlash over overturning Supreme Court ruling Law vs Wade Eager to go after vulnerable Republicans who support Smith’s bill by helping them outperform in the midterms — but they’re also vying over their support for other anti-abortion measures. , would attack hard-fought Republicans who did not support Smith’s bill.
- “Vulnerable House Republicans have already revealed a record of extreme anti-selection, and this new litmus test is a reminder that they are out of touch with the majority of Americans.” courtney rice, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee A spokeswoman said in a statement.
The change in the SBA comes ten months after the Supreme Court’s ruling, as Congress and Republicans across the country struggle to see how far the new abortion restrictions should go. South Carolina lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would almost outright ban abortion on Thursday, hours before the Nebraska senators. Marv RipeA longtime Republican, he derailed a bill banning most abortions in his state in about six weeks.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalis Meanwhile, (R-La.) pledged in December to introduce legislation codifying the Hyde Amendment. — which limits federal funds from being used to pay for most abortions — on the floor within two weeks of the Republicans regaining a majority.
He has yet to do so, which has led to criticism from some anti-abortion activists.
- “I think it’s very weak that they didn’t,” Danenfelser said, referring to House Republican leaders, but added that he was grateful for the anti-abortion bill Republicans voted for.
- “It’s disappointing to see that Congress has yet to pass these common sense protections. Roger Severino,vice president heritage foundation, A conservative think tank that was active in the Trump administration. “After fifty years of fighting for overthrow egg, now is the time for pro-life politicians to deliver on their long-standing promise. “
Smith, who introduced the Hyde Amendment bill, said he has been discussing the matter with Republican leaders and is confident they will bring it to a vote. “It’s a question of when and if it will happen,” he said. (Scalise’s office did not respond to a request for comment.)
But even some of the bill’s co-sponsors worry about the politics of taking it to the ballot now.
- “I stand by it,” said the lawmaker. Nancy Mace (RS.C.). “I am a co-sponsor of it. With all exceptions [for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother]But I think it’s sending the wrong message now. “
- “We need to balance the protection of the right to life with the protection of women’s rights from a policy perspective,” she added.
The prospects for Smith’s 15-week abortion bill are even gloomier.
Smith and Sen. Lindsay Graham (RS.C.) introduced the Senate version of the bill last year, but said it plans to reintroduce the proposal later this year, although it did not specify when.
Mace, who the SBA endorsed in 2020 but not last year, resented the group’s plan not to support lawmakers who would not sign such a ban.
- “Ironically, the SBA had backed a 20-week ban just two years ago,” Mace said. “So they’re moving the goalposts,” she used her expletive to explain how she felt about moving the goalposts.
However, Danenfelser described the 15-week limit as “a very modest piece of legislation” and said he could not ask anti-abortion voters to support a candidate he did not support. egg Gone.
“Even if they wanted to, they wouldn’t trust us to even do it,” she said.
Moderna’s billionaire CEO made nearly $400 million in profits last year. Then he got a raise.
Stephen BanselCEO Moderna, almost got him by exercising stock options $393 million last year. Then a company famous for its coronavirus vaccine raised his salary even more, making his salary $1.5 millionour colleague Daniel Gilbert report.
Now, some analysts are sounding alarm bells about the company’s executive compensation and governance after its vaccine smash success sent its stock price skyrocketing and robbed management of billionaires. An influential company is urging shareholders to vote against the company’s compensation plan at its annual meeting on Wednesday.
If you look closely, Bancel owns at least $2.8 billion worth of stock. And as of the end of last year, additional stock-based compensation was $1.7 billionHe says he donates his stock sales to charity.
- The company’s windfall gains have drawn criticismincluding members of Congress, especially because it benefited $1.7 billion of taxpayer funds aid from National Institutes of Health Help develop life-saving vaccines.
View from Moderna: The company defended the pay raises of Bancel and others as “reflecting merit,” noting that shareholders are doing well and overwhelmingly approved of its compensation plans. The compensation is “appropriate given the increasingly global responsibilities of Moderna’s management team,” the company said.
Tennessee adds narrow exception to strict abortion ban
Governor of Tennessee Bill Lee (R) quietly signed the bill On Friday, it made narrow exceptions to the state’s near-total abortion ban, Vivian Jones reports of Tennessee.
of new lawThis allows doctors to use “reasonable” medical judgment when deciding whether abortion will save a patient’s life or prevent serious injury. The treatment of ectopic and molar pregnancies is also now expressly exempt from the state abortion ban.
Previously, state trigger laws made it a felony to have an abortion at any time.Physicians who are criminally accused of performing emergency abortions can claim the “affirmative defense” contained in the law, but the burden of proof is to prove that it is medically necessary. says Vivian. So far, no doctors have been charged.
Meanwhile, across the country…
Montana: Starting this week, doctors Submit advance documents demonstrate that an abortion is medically necessary before the state Medicaid program has approved payment for the procedure; Amy Beth Hanson write for Associated Press.
Colorado: A federal judge on Friday rejected Catholic clinics Bid to block The state recently passed a bill banning the controversial abortion drug reversal treatment. denver postof Sam Tabaknik report.
📅 Happy Monday! The House of Representatives opens this week, but the Senate has some important hearings. Here’s what we’re seeing:
Tuesday: of Senate Help Committee mark up A bipartisan package of bills It aims to increase access to generic medicines and transparency to pharmacy intermediaries.
Wednesday: of Senate Finance Committee consider barriers to mental health care.
Thursday: of Senate Help Committee intention examination of Pandemic and All Disaster Preparedness Act, must be reapproved by the end of September.Biden health officials, including National Institutes of Health Acting Director Lawrence Tabak and National Cancer Institute Director Monica Bertagnoli, testify in front Senate Appropriations Subcommittee On Biden’s 2024 Budget Request for NIH.
CDC meeting aimed at marking Covid progress looks at virus cases of its own (Dan Diamond l The Washington Post)
Masks come off in clinic, last refuge for orders (Fenit Nirappil l The Washington Post)
His sickle cell disease brought pain. Gene therapy offers hope. (By Carolyn Y. Johnson | Washington Post)
Democratic AG uses courts to win abortion, gun control (By Scott Wilson | The Washington Post)
thank you for reading! see you tomorrow.
