REPORT: The Five Ways That The GOP Is Trying To Eradicate A Woman’s Right To Choose

This article highlights the 5 main attacks on reproductive rights and women that are currently being carried out by state and federal lawmakers - everything from fetal "heartbeat bills" that would prevent abortion once a heartbeat can be heard (usually by 6 weeks) to mandating a woman have and view an ultrasound to potentially making the slaying of an abortion provider "justifiable homicide."

South Dakota is one of the most anti-abortion states in the country. In 1994, the state banned abortion providers inside its borders. “Planned Parenthood flies a doctor in from out-of-state once a week to see patients at a Sioux Falls clinic. Women from the more remote parts of the large, rural state drive up to six hours to reach this lone clinic” and must “receive counseling and wait 24 hours before undergoing the procedure.”

Now, it seems South Dakota is willing to legalize acts of terror in order to be the number one anti-abortion state in the U.S. The South Dakota House is taking up a bill to redefine “justifiable homicide” that may “make it legal to kill doctors who perform abortions,” Mother Jones reports. Passed out of committee on a 9-3 party line vote, the GOP-backed bill “could in theory allow a woman’s father, mother, son, daughter, or husband to kill anyone who tried to provide that woman an abortion — even if she wanted one.”

Read more at Think Progress

Nancy Pelosi: Women's Rights Face Greatest Threat 'In Our Lifetime'

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi states that the current attack on reproductive rights is the worst "in our lifetime" and calls on Americans to get involved to defeat these attacks.  One bill could come up for a vote as early as next week.

Women's reproductive rights are being seriously threatened by the Republican Party, according to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who said she is worried that many women are complacent about the possibility that they will lose access to abortions.

"They're advancing extreme legislation," Pelosi said Thursday during a conference call with reporters. "It's dangerous to women's health, disrespects the judgment of American women -- I don't know if they even gave that a thought -- and it's the most comprehensive and radical assault on women's health in our lifetime. It's that bad."

 Read more at Huffington Post

Democrats Preparing To Fight Anti-Abortion GOPers With Economic Message

With hearings set to start today on 2 anti-reproductive rights bills, Pro-choice Democrats are gearing up for a fight.  HR 3, sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and initially included a provision to redefine rape, is scheduled for a Judiciary subcommittee hearing.  HR 358, sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) would allow hospitals to allow a woman to die rather that perform an abortion will be brought before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Pro-choice Democrats are raring for an abortion fight this week -- and they intend to start one. After a trio of ultra-conservative abortion bills were filed in the weeks since the Republicans took over earlier this year, returning House Democrats and several of their Senate colleagues will roll out a multi-tiered attack on the GOP's abortion plans, simultaneously painting the bills as extreme, hypocritical and off the all-important economic message.

Read more at Talking Points Memo

After 'forcible rape,' another abortion restriction

Jonathan Capehart's take on HR 358, which would allow hospitals to refuse to perform an abortion if the mother's life is at risk as part of the "conscience clause."

Oh, good grief. No sooner have I celebrated the Republican retreat on the gambit to make "forcible rape" -- whatever that meant -- one of the few exceptions for federal funding of abortions than a new, more dastardly threat to women's right to choose arises.

Under the guise of protecting hospitals, medical clinics and health workers from discrimination because they refuse to perform abortions, H.R. 358 would let them do so without fear of penalty. The "nondiscrimination on abortion" provision is part of the nine-page Protect Life Act, an amendment to last year's health-care law introduced by seven-term Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) on Jan. 20. In a copy of the manager's amendment I obtained from a source, the odious term "forcible rape" no longer appears. But here's the problem: If enacted this bill would trump the 25-year-old law that guarantees public access to emergency care, including abortions.

Read more at The Washington Post