Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senate Democrats Seek Another Vote On Emergency Access To Abortion
Top Senate Democrats will force Republicans to vote on access to emergency abortion care this week, in one of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)'s final pre-election messaging pushes, Axios has learned. ... Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), will seek unanimous consent Tuesday to pass a resolution she introduced last week affirming that every person has a right to emergency health care, including abortion care. (Neukam, 9/23)
A top Senate Democrat is pressing hospitals in states with abortion bans about how they are complying with a federal emergency care law, following reports about women who need emergency reproductive care being turned away. Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent letters Monday to eight hospitals in Georgia, Texas, Missouri, Florida, Louisiana and North Carolina asking about specific policies and procedures to enforce the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). (Weixel, 9/23)
Former President Donald J. Trump claimed at a rally on Monday that he would protect women voters by making their communities safer and that they won鈥檛 鈥渂e thinking about abortion.鈥 鈥淵ou will be protected, and I will be your protector,鈥 said Mr. Trump, who polls have shown is struggling to cultivate support among women, for whom abortion rights remain a top issue. (Vigdor and Levien, 9/23)
Abortion news from Florida 鈥
A Leon County circuit judge is slated Wednesday to hear arguments in a political committee鈥檚 request for a temporary injunction to block the state Agency for Health Care Administration from disseminating what the committee calls 鈥渕isinformation鈥 about a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion rights through a website and ads. (Saunders, 9/23)
In many parts of Florida, where housing costs are soaring and lawmakers have sharply curtailed abortion access, pregnant women and teens who need a safe, stable place to live are increasingly turning to one of their few options: charity-run maternity homes. The homes, most of which are affiliated with churches or Christian nonprofits, often help women and teens as they flee abuse, age out of foster care or leave drug rehabilitation. (Morel, 9/24)