Vice President Kamala Harris initiates a ‘week of action’ to energize her ‘reproductive freedom’ base.
Iowa’s contentious six-week abortion restriction went into effect on July 29, drawing criticism from Democrats.
The law prohibits abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected, typically around the sixth week of pregnancy, with exceptions for cases of rape, incest, fetal abnormality, and maternal life endangerment. Previously, abortion was legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks gestation.
As the law took hold, officials and abortion providers in neighboring Minnesota prepared for an increase in clients from Iowa.
“As Iowa regresses to the 1950s, we are committed to ensuring that Minnesotans—and our neighbors—have access to the necessary reproductive health care,” stated Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a Democrat, on social media.
Vice President Kamala Harris, a prominent Democratic presidential candidate, condemned the Iowa law, associating it with her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump.
“Today, Iowa implemented a Trump abortion ban, making it the 22nd state to do so. This ban will take effect before many women realize they are pregnant,” stated Ms. Harris in a video shared on her social media platforms.
Encouraging her supporters to vote accordingly, Harris promised to enact “protections for reproductive freedom” if elected president in November.
The Harris campaign launched a “week of action” in various battleground states to emphasize the significance of reproductive rights in the upcoming election.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in 2022, which overturned the national right to abortion established in Roe v. Wade (1973), several states have tightened abortion restrictions.
President Trump appointed three of the six justices in the majority on that ruling—a point that Democrats highlight when states impose new abortion regulations.
Former President Trump believes abortion is a states’ rights issue that should be determined by voters.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and local abortion providers promptly challenged the law, arguing that it imposes an undue burden on women seeking abortions.
In June, the Iowa Supreme Court dismissed those claims, citing the state’s interest in protecting unborn lives, ensuring maternal health and safety, and eliminating “particularly gruesome or barbaric medical procedures.”
The court reasserted its position that abortion is not a fundamental right, a stance it took in June 2022, just a week before the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision.
Ms. Reynolds commended the Iowa Supreme Court for upholding “the will of the people” in response to the recent ruling.
ACLU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis Austen expressed concerns that the decision would force some women to confront “serious and even life-threatening health consequences.”
Planned Parenthood ceased abortion services in two Iowa cities, including Des Moines, following the law’s enactment.
Jacob Burg, Zachary Stieber, Catherine Yang, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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