Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
The Abortion War's Battleground: Planned Parenthood
Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, was poring over a spiral notebook in her bare-bones office here when she was asked about President Trump’s latest attempt to cut a deal on abortion. Days earlier, the Trump White House had floated a trial balloon: If Planned Parenthood would quit performing abortions, it could keep roughly $550 million in annual federal funding. (Stolberg, 3/31)
In related news —
Governor Branstad is throwing his full support behind anti-abortion legislation making its way through the Republican-controlled legislature, saying the new GOP majority in the Iowa Senate is making it possible. Branstad backs a bill to ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy that has passed the Iowa Senate and is now awaiting a vote in the full House. (Russell, 4/3)
Gov. Doug Ducey has signed into law a bill regulating how doctors must care for a baby born alive during an abortion. His office announced the action on Senate Bill 1367 without any comment. It was folded into a list of 12 other bills the governor acted on. (Rau and Pitzl, 3/31)