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.
BREAKING: We're suing Texas to ensure that patients can access abortion services during the #COVID19 pandemic.
— Center for Reproductive Rights (@ReproRights) March 25, 2020
Abortion is an essential, time-sensitive procedure that cannot be delayed. It's time our lawmakers start acting like it.
Filed w/@PPFA & The Lawyering Project. pic.twitter.com/cq0TbtpoA7
.@GovAbbott doesn't think abortion is essential or, apparently, time-sensitive.
— Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) March 25, 2020
He's wrong.
So: we're suing, with our friends at @ReproRights and The Lawyering Project. See you in court. pic.twitter.com/FIQJeKgK4l
Abortion care is time-sensitive and essential health care that has a profound impact on a person’s health and life, which is why it is protected as a ???????????????????????????? ??????????.
— Center for Reproductive Rights (@ReproRights) March 25, 2020
Texas is abusing the state’s emergency powers. We are filing suit today to stop it. https://t.co/c74y7nV8PC
Abortion is an essential and time-sensitive medical procedure — and it must remain so during this public health crisis. Delays or additional barriers to care can make it more difficult or even impossible for patients to access safe, legal abortion. #COVID19
— Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) March 24, 2020
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.
My office will tirelessly defend Governor Abbott’s Order to ensure that necessary supplies reach the medical professionals combating this national health crisis.
— Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) March 26, 2020
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.
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