All posts tagged: Hyde Amendment

The Revolution in Abortion Access | Amy Littlefield

The Revolution in Abortion Access | Amy Littlefield

Published by José Betancourt

Brianna knew her husband would claim the pregnancy was an act of God. Their marriage was falling apart. She was fed up with his infidelity and with managing their kids and home on her own. The couple had recently separated when she realized her period was late. Deciding to get the abortion was easy. Beyond the trouble at home, Brianna’s doctor had warned her that because of her history of C-sections, another pregnancy could lead to fatal complications. She could not fathom leaving her three daughters without their mom.1 But the barriers to ending her pregnancy seemed insurmountable. Her home state, Texas, had banned abortion in 2022. She couldn’t drive to the nearest clinic—an eighteen-hour round trip to New Mexico—without taking time away from her kids and work and risking her husband finding out about the pregnancy. She knew her family wouldn’t help, either; they would try to talk her into staying with her husband and having the baby. When Brianna went online in search of options, she stumbled on a Reddit forum about medication …

Abortions Rose After Dobbs—And the March for Life Knows It

Abortions Rose After Dobbs—And the March for Life Knows It

Published by Sam Flores

The Movement Got What It Wanted. Abortions Increased Anyway.One year ago, JD Vance spoke at the March for Life like a conquering hero. Trump had just been inaugurated. Roe was overturned. The movement was jubilant. This year, he had to address his detractors from the stage. Something had shifted. What They WonThe anti-abortion movement got what it wanted: Dobbs overturned Roe. And yet abortions in America have actually risen since the decision fell. Nearly two-thirds of those abortions now happen through medication. Mifepristone gets prescribed via telehealth. It’s accessible even in states with bans. The Trump administration made it clear they’re not touching it. The “Prudential” ProblemFrom the stage, Vance defended that position. He called it a “prudential” decision—strategically and politically wise. On social media, people were furious at the word. In the crowd, one man told RNS reporter Aleja Hertzler-McCain: “I think we are in a difficult political moment. JD Vance’s heart is in the right place. I was worried the Trump administration wanted to compromise on abortion. But I think that’s just their …

March for Life airs tensions with Trump’s ‘flexibility’ on Hyde Amendment

March for Life airs tensions with Trump’s ‘flexibility’ on Hyde Amendment

Published by Sam Flores

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Gathering for the annual March for Life on the National Mall on Friday (Jan. 23), the anti-abortion demonstrators from every corner of the country listened patiently as the event’s organizers praised Vice President JD Vance, who addressed the march, and the Trump administration in general. But the tensions that have bubbled up in recent days over President Trump’s commitment to fighting abortion were not difficult to discern in the crowd. “@therealdonaldtrump We are not ‘flexible.’ Abortion is Murder!” read one sign, referring to Trump’s recent comments that House Republicans should be flexible on the Hyde Amendment, a policy that bans federal funds being spent to provide abortions. Holding the sign was Tyler Skywalker, a member of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, a Presbyterian Church in America congregation in Orlando, Florida. His wife, Noelle, said their faith motivated them to attend the march. “We’re taught in Scripture that every human is made in the image of God. That gives us intrinsic value. Murdering of that life is wrong,” she said. Trump’s comments about Hyde …