May 21, 2019

States sue federal government over new abortion law

Photo: Anna Gassot/AFP/Getty Images

Nearly 2 dozen states have filed suit against the federal government to block a law that would allow doctors to decline care to patients for abortions and deny transgender patients service based on their moral or religious beliefs.

Why it matters: The challenge comes from left-leaning states at a time when restrictive abortion bans are taking root in several conservative states. Some GOP legislators are hoping these new laws will make their way to the Supreme Court and ultimately reverse the Roe v. Wade decision.

Details: The new law also gives doctors an out to refuse care for procedures such as assisted suicide, sterilization or gender reassignment surgery. The new law is expected to take effect in July, and the federal government reserves the right to deny funding to any hospitals or clinics that refuse to comply, per AP.

Go deeper: Trump administration to allow faith-based discrimination in medicine

Go deeper

Axios
Updated 22 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 1:30 p.m. ET: 32,919,487 — Total deaths: 995,352 — Total recoveries: 22,770,166— Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 1:30 p.m. ET: 7,089,611 — Total deaths: 204,566 — Total recoveries: 2,750,459 — Total tests: 100,492,536 — Map.
  3. States: New York daily cases top 1,000 for first time since June — U.S. reports over 55,000 new coronavirus cases.
  4. Health: The long-term pain of the mental health pandemic — Fewer than 10% of Americans have coronavirus antibodies.
  5. Business: Millions start new businesses in time of coronavirus.
  6. Education: Summer college enrollment offers a glimpse of COVID-19's effect.
Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Biden on Supreme Court fight: "This is about whether or not the ACA will exist"

Joe Biden made health care the overwhelming focus of his remarks from Wilmington, Delaware, on Sunday, stressing that the Senate confirmation battle over Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court is about preserving the Affordable Care Act in the midst of a pandemic.

Why it matters: Democrats are aggressively pushing the message that Barrett, who has previously criticized Chief Justice John Roberts for his 2012 ruling salvaging the ACA, will seek to invalidate the law when the Supreme Court hears a Trump administration-backed lawsuit against it on Nov. 10.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

McMaster: Trump's peaceful transition comments are a "gift to our adversaries"

President Trump's refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses November's presidential election is a "gift to our adversaries," Trump's former national security adviser H.R. McMaster said Sunday.

The big picture: McMaster, a retired three-star general, said that the American people must understand that the military will have "no role" in a presidential transition and that it's "irresponsible" to even talk about it as a possibility.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow