This week marked four years since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade. For nearly 50 years, Roe v. Wade restricted the power of the states to regulate abortion, but the Dobbs ruling said that, through the votes of the American people, all elected officials on both the state and federal levels should have the ability to enact legislation on this matter. Overturning Roe was a huge step toward saving unborn lives, but it did not abolish the scourge of abortion in our land.
Thousands of abortions are still occurring each day. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that over 1.1 million abortions were performed in 2025. That is a 20% increase since the Dobbs decision was handed down. Increased access to the abortion pill mifepristone, via telehealth appointments and the ability for it to be sent across state lines by the mail, makes it easier to obtain an abortion even in states that have restrictions on the procedure.
Unfortunately, late-term abortions are still happening in some states. Not only is the practice cruel and gruesome, but it is also not safe, as its proponents claim. It puts the mother at a much higher risk of fatal complications. The risk of maternal death from abortion increases 38% for each week beyond 8 weeks of gestation. Too often, when these complications occur, abortion clinics try to avoid bad press and questions from competent emergency rooms by delaying life-saving measures. Just last year, a Colorado Planned Parenthood requested an ambulance with no sirens after waiting too long to call, to not bring attention to themselves while an 18-year-old girl was in severe distress from amniotic fluid embolism. Unfortunately, she died a needless death.
Stories like this one underscore the need for significant changes at both the state and federal levels to protect the lives of mothers and their unborn babies. This week, Republican Senators went to the floor to not only speak in celebration of Dobbs but also to advocate for pro-life bills they introduced. They asked for unanimous consent to move the following bills toward passage:
- Conscience Protection Act (S. 1756) sponsored by Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) — This bill would protect medical professionals such as nurses, doctors, and pharmacists from being penalized for refusing to participate in an abortion.
- Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act (S. 4329) sponsored by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) — The Title X family planning program has a long history of funding abortion entities like Planned Parenthood. This bill would prohibit any money from flowing to abortion providers or organizations that fund abortion.
- MOMS Act (S. 1630) sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) — This language would establish a permanent government-based website that lists pregnancy resources and assistance for moms and babies, like moms.gov. In addition, it allows unmarried mothers to collect child support during pregnancy instead of having to wait until the baby is born.
- Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance Act sponsored by Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) — This measure would codify the Mexico City Policy — a current executive order signed by President Trump to prohibit foreign aid from funding organizations that promote abortion — and expand it to prohibit the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and gender ideologies overseas.
- Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act (S. 205) sponsored by Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) — This bill prohibits abortions from occurring on the sole basis that the baby has been diagnosed with Down syndrome. It also allows parents and grandparents to engage in a civil lawsuit if a doctor knowingly breaks the law.
- SAVE Moms and Babies Act (S. 3697) sponsored by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) — This measure would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to keep the potential serious risk labeling on abortion drugs, prohibit the distribution of these drugs through mail, and stop the approval of new abortion drugs.
- Protect Funding for Women’s Health Care Act (S. 177) sponsored by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) — This simple bill prohibits federal money from funding Planned Parenthood and any of its affiliates.
- Pregnant Students Rights Act (S. 3627) sponsored by Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL) — The Title IX program currently requires colleges and universities to provide accommodations for pregnant and parenting students. This bill would simply reaffirm those rights and require colleges to inform students of those rights. In honor of the March for Life, the Senate held a vote on this legislation, but could not get to the 60 votes needed for passage.
- Forced Abortion Prevention and Accountability Act (S. 2955) sponsored by Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) — This legislation would institute federal penalties for a person who attempts, succeeds, or conspires to non-consensually administer an abortion drug to a pregnant woman. If that woman suffers bodily harm as well as her unborn child, the offender can be charged with dual penalties.
Other Senators, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), gave remarks commemorating the anniversary of the Dobbs decision. Not surprisingly, pro-abortion Democrats prevented every bill from passing.
Many House Republicans gave floor speeches and sent out press releases as well. Representative Riley Moore (R-WV) encouraged Americans to be faithful to the Declaration of Independence’s fundamental truths. As we come to the conclusion of Fidelity Month and enter into the Semiquincentennial celebration week, this is a great reminder that we must be faithful to the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He stated:
Four years ago, Dobbs overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the scourge of nationally legalized abortion. Thousands of lives have been saved since. Today, we celebrate each of them, and we recommit ourselves to a country where every person has the right to life.
Rep. Moore also joined 112 Congressmen and Senators on an amicus brief in favor of a lawsuit brought by the state of Louisiana against the FDA’s removal of in-person dispensing of the abortion pill. Louisiana Attorney General contends that women are “suffering irreparable harm” by pushing these drugs through telehealth and delivering them by mail, never adequately assessing a pregnant woman’s health or gestational period. If this case receives a ruling in favor of the state of Louisiana, it could save the lives of unborn babies and their mothers. Eagle Forum signed onto an amicus (Friend of the Court) brief in support of the state of Louisiana.
Democratic senators held their own press conference on reproductive rights, where they lamented the abolition of a “woman’s right to choose.” They categorized abortion as women’s “civil rights and liberties” without acknowledging that another human life is involved in an abortion procedure. In years past, you could find some pro-life Democrats, but that sensibility has sadly disappeared.
As Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) said on the House floor this week:
While we celebrate on one hand, we also commemorate all the lives that were lost during that flawed decision back in 1974 and all those that need our protection still today.
The Dobbs decision was the product of hard work from pro-life organizations, including Eagle Forum, which for decades advocated for the appointment of originalist Supreme Court Justices, the election of pro-life legislators, and the passage of strong pro-life laws. Our work is not done. We must continue to fight to make abortion unthinkable. To join us in the fight, make sure you are signed up for our emails and alerts on our website here. You can also join us in person at Eagle Council 54 in Nashville, Tennessee, where you can share ideas with like-minded individuals and learn new, strategic ways to protect the most vulnerable among us. Visit our website here to learn more about this fantastic opportunity! Finally, don’t forget to donate to Eagle Forum PAC so that YOU can help elect more legislators who support the unborn.
Last week marked week two of my internship with Eagle Forum. On Mondays, we spend time strategizing on upcoming legislation with Eagle Forum leadership. On Tuesday, we attended Senate meetings at the Hart building in which they discussed the progression of recent bills. Afterward, Mrs. Walter and I went to the Heritage Foundation for an event and luncheon: Invisible Men: How Guaranteed Income Programs for New Moms Diminish Dads. The event was led by Delano Squires and centered around his new book, The Vanishing Black Family: How Welfare and Feminism Made Marriage Optional and Children Vulnerable. The panel explained the necessity of a father in the home with statistics of 70% of juveniles and 60-70% of the homeless coming from fatherless homes. They also traced how the culture has deemphasized getting married and raising a family. To fight back in this culture war, they encouraged the entertainment industry of music, social media, and film to portray marriage and fatherhood in a positive light. The panel also emphasized the major importance of the Church’s role in the reinstatement of the father’s role and marriage itself. The recording of the event can be found on the Heritage Foundation website.
Throughout the week, we learned about recent work by the Department of Education to partner with existing agencies so that the DOE does not retain ultimate power over education. You can read about these efforts in Eagle Forum’s Capitol Hill Report. We also joined a discussion on embryo adoption on a policy level. They discussed grant programs from the federal government that help families adopt embryos rather than be destroyed.
Besides attending high-powered meetings and calls, I have spent time at Mrs. Walter’s home researching important topics from her kitchen table. I am currently gathering information to draft a brief on the ethics and policy solutions regarding surrogacy. Other topics we are watching include immigration, life, and kids’ online safety.
I have met many key players in the conservative movement already. Mary Evans who is the Government Relations Coordinator at the Conservative Partnership Institute met with me on Thursday. She shared how she fell in love with working on Capitol Hill, the components of her job, and general advice in pursuing a career in Washington, D.C.
