Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Decision May Galvanize Presidential Race, As Significance Of Open Justice Seat Sinks In
The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down parts of a restrictive abortion law in Texas rippled through the presidential campaign after its release on Monday, with Democrats and Republicans looking to rally voters with reminders that the future of the court was at stake in November. The next president looks to have at least one and potentially several vacancies to fill in the next four years, and Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump have both warned that the fate of laws on immigration, guns and abortion will probably be determined by who gets to fill those openings. (Rappeport, 6/27)
The decision’s political ramifications are significant. It will galvanize both sides of the divisive abortion debate as the presidential campaign builds toward the national party conventions, and intensify the political focus on the Supreme Court’s vacancy, which has been frozen in the Senate. The Whole Women’s Health decision is sure to be cited as the two sides in the debate remind voters that the next president will almost certainly name several justices to the bench, providing a rare opportunity to cement the court’s political stance for years to come. (Haberkorn, 6/27)
The Supreme Court’s ruling invalidating a Texas law regulating abortion clinics split Washington along party lines, much as the issue divides the nation. Democrats said the 5-3 ruling protected women’s right to choose whether to have an abortion. Republicans said that the decision would weaken standards of care and make it harder for states to protect their citizens. (Hughes, 6/27)
More than nine hours after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn two provisions of a Texas anti-abortion law on Monday, the Republican Party's presumptive nominee has yet to comment. The 5-3 decision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, which marks the biggest victory for abortion rights advocates in the past 20 years, ruled that the Texas law would have shut down clinics and keep women from accessing abortion treatment. Donald Trump, who has said in the past that he is "very pro-choice," has struggled to clearly explain his position on abortion during the 2016 campaign. (Ocasio, 6/27)
