The Quickie: Senate (Finally) Confirms Military Promotions After Tuberville Ends His Unpopular Anti-Abortion Stunt

Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day. You can read “The Quickie'' online here.

In today’s Quickie: Tuberville ends his anti-abortion stunt, New Hampshire lawmakers introduce a 15-day ban, Wisconsin judge upholds decision to keep abortion care legal, and a GOP debate preview. 

SENATE (FINALLY) CONFIRMS MILITARY PROMOTIONS AFTER TUBERVILLE ENDS HIS UNPOPULAR ANTI-ABORTION STUNT: Yesterday, the Senate confirmed over 400 military promotions that had previously been held up for TEN MONTHS by Sen. Tommy Tuberville over his disdain for the Pentagon’s abortion policy. This policy, which went into effect after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ensures that servicemembers and their families can access reproductive health care when they need it, regardless of where they live by taking time off and receiving travel and transportation allowances to get to other states for care not available locally. In an October 2022 memo, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin acknowledged how state abortion bans have impacted military personnel and “will interfere with [the military’s] ability to recruit, retain, and maintain the readiness of a highly qualified force.”

Sen. Tuberville was already feeling the heat from both sides of the political aisle, Veterans groups and abortion rights groups over this stunt – and even inspired Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a veteran, to introduce legislation to codify the DoD policy into law. 

Read more here. 

 

LIVE FREE OR DIE…SORT OF: This week, anti-abortion lawmakers in the “freest” state in the country introduced a 15-day (yes, you read that right) gestational ban, which is not only well before most people know they are pregnant, but even before someone is technically considered pregnant. The only exception to the law would be a medical emergency.

In New Hampshire, abortion is currently legal up to 24 weeks, and it has broad support across the state. While the 15-day ban is expected to fail, it is likely that lawmakers will introduce a 15-week ban in the next legislative session, despite anti-abortion lawmakers’ claims that they are no longer interested in banning abortion.

Read more in Rolling Stone.

 

WISCONSIN JUDGE UPHOLDS DECISION TO KEEP ABORTION CARE LEGAL: In Wisconsin, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Diane Schlipper reiterated that the state’s 1849 abortion ban does not interfere with consensual abortion care. This ruling comes after Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin was able to resume abortion services earlier this year under the same legal standing.

“Today’s ruling is another important step forward in restoring and expanding access to abortion in Wisconsin. Since the overturning of Roe, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has maintained that Wis. Stat. 940.04 could not be enforced against abortion providers. This final ruling again confirms this. We are grateful to Attorney General Kaul and Governor Evers for their leadership and efforts to protect reproductive freedom in Wisconsin”, Michelle Velasquez, Chief Strategy Officer, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said in a statement. “While we celebrate this ruling, there is more to be done. We will continue essential work to help protect and expand reproductive freedom in Wisconsin so that everyone who needs comprehensive reproductive health care in our state can get the nonjudgmental and compassionate care they deserve.”

Read more in ABC 27.

 

REMINDER FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD VOTES AHEAD OF TONIGHT’S DEBATE: EVERY GOP PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL SUPPORTS BANNING ABORTION: The Republican presidential field thankfully may have thinned, but it’s still chock-full of candidates determined to ban abortion. We know it can be hard to keep track, so as we prepare to suffer through another debate filled with abortion lies and misinformation, here’s a roundup of where the remaining contenders (both on and off stage) stand on abortion. TL;DR: it’s at odds with the American people — 78% of whom say abortion should be between patients and their doctors. Some may try to hide the ball, downplay their anti-abortion agenda, or confuse the American people with words like “consensus” and “reasonable” but Planned Parenthood Votes has you covered with the truth. More here. 

Paid for in part by Planned Parenthood Votes, 123 William St, NY NY 10038. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.