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Abortion rights supporters across the country are scrambling to strengthen protections for clinics in response to moves by the Trump administration that they believe will put providers and patients in danger. Democratic lawmakers have introduced bills in Illinois, Michigan, New York and elsewhere to restrict demonstrations outside of clinics, increase criminal penalties for people who harass doctors and patients, or allocate more funds for abortion providers to buy security cameras, bulletproof glass and other protections. (Ollstein and Friedman, 3/19)

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) expressed skepticism about Dr. Mehmet Oz’s, President Trump’s pick to oversee Medicare and Medicaid, views on abortion and transgender rights. “I’ve been reading up on Dr. Oz – I see he’s praised trans surgeries for minors and supported hormone treatments & puberty blockers for kids in the past,” Hawley wrote on X. “And has also criticized state laws protecting life. I hope he’s changed his views to match President Trump!” (Irwin, 3/19)

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he is appealing a block on an executive order from President Trump effectively preventing transgender people from serving openly in the military. “We are appealing this decision, and we will win,” Hegseth said in a Wednesday evening post on the social platform X. (Suter, 3/19)

The Trump administration has frozen $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania, citing policies allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports, according to the White House. The move follows a pattern of escalating federal scrutiny of elite universities as political pressure mounts over their handling of campus unrest and allegations of discrimination. (Cattan and Lowenkron, 3/19)