Tipsheet

Planned Parenthood Sues Texas for Gov. Abbott's Order Banning 'Non-essential' Surgeries

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) issued an order Sunday night that suspends non-emergent, elective surgeries, in order to free up hospital beds for COVID-19 patients. Included under this umbrella is abortion, unless deemed medically necessary to save the life of the mother. Texas is not the first state to make this move. Ohio also implemented a similar mandate over the weekend.

Abortion advocates interpret Gov. Abbott’s mandate as an assault on women’s rights, claiming that abortion is an “essential” health care procedure. In light of their outrage, Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights are suing the state of Texas over the order, hoping to block it from taking effect. 

The order was not intended to impede on abortion access, but rather prioritize emergent, time-sensitive surgeries and use medical resources efficiently. The language was not at all ambiguous, and despite the outrage, Gov. Abbott was prioritizing medical needs during a public health crisis, as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton points out:

“This prohibition applies throughout the State and to all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately medically necessary...as well as most scheduled healthcare procedures that are not immediately medically necessary such as orthopedic surgeries or any type of abortion that is not medically necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother,” AG Paxton said in a statement.

This outrage from Planned Parenthood and abortion-related interest groups shows, once again, that their real agenda has nothing to do with real health care, and everything to do with maximizing abortion and the revenue they accrue from performing abortions.