Obama-era Rules Defining Abortion as a Civil Right Overturned

Washington, D.C. – Today a federal judge overturned Obama-era regulations that defined “discrimination on the basis of sex” to include abortion (“termination of pregnancy”) under Obamacare (ACA). These regulations have been enjoined nationwide by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, barring enforcement of language regarding “termination of pregnancy.”

Earlier this year the Trump administration proposed a new rule to clarify that the federal definition of sex discrimination under Obamacare (ACA) does not include abortion, and to bring ACA regulations into compliance with longstanding conscience protection laws.

The national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) celebrated the ruling in a statement:

“This ruling is an important victory for the Trump administration and all pro-life Americans. Abortion is not health care and should never be mandated by the government,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “Under the Obama administration, federal law was reinterpreted to define abortion as a civil right. President Trump and Secretary Azar have worked hard to put a stop to this manipulation of the law and to protect pro-life institutions and health care workers from being forced to participate in the destruction of innocent life. We thank them for their leadership, and as this case works through the courts, we also continue to urge Congress to enact a private right of action so victims can seek relief in court and future administrations cannot roll back conscience protections.”

SBA List is a network of more than 837,000 pro-life Americans nationwide, dedicated to ending abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives, with a special calling to promote pro-life women leaders.

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