17 Texas GOP Members Back Bill To Ban Abortions, IVF, IUDs, & Some Birth Control

Texas Republicans lead the charge in national comprehensive reproductive rights rollback.

Last year, Virginia Republican Congressman Alex Mooney filed HR 431, the Life At Conception Act. It didn’t get a lot of traction or attention at the time but with the recent ruling in Alabama declaring embryos “people,” HR 431 is receiving new vigor. The original bill included 64 co-signers. Last month, Congressman Mooney reintroduced the bill with 125 co-signers.

Congressman Mooney put out a statement celebrating the anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, in which he discussed that “unborn babies are entitled to these protections, essentially granting them legal status and rights from the moment of conception.”

Before we go into what this bill will do, here are the 17 Texas Congressional Republicans who co-signed the bill:

So, what does this bill say?

It’s very short and very simple.

It establishes that the Constitution’s guarantee of the right to life applies to all human beings, regardless of their stage of life, starting from conception. It clarifies that the Act does not authorize the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child. Of course, the punishment legislation killing women for making decisions about their bodies will come later, after they get the “Life at Conception” Act signed into law.

By declaring that the right to life is vested in each human being from the moment of conception, the Act seeks to establish a legal foundation for the protection of embryos under the Constitution. Embryos.

This is an embryo:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) put out a statement on Friday stating that “the “Life at Conception Act” would also impose similar restrictions on IVF and fertility treatments as the Alabama ruling at the national level.”

Not only would HR 431 ban abortions nationwide, but IVF treatments would also be banned. That includes here in the Lone Star State.

The DCCC, I believe, was only focused on the IVF issue right now because that’s a hot topic on everyone’s mind due to the Alabama ruling. However, this bill does not stop at abortions and IVF.

IUDs.

With IUDs, like Mirena and Paragard, the primary mechanism of both is to prevent sperm from fertilizing an egg. However, one of the secondary mechanisms of action is thought to be the prevention of implantation of a fertilized egg into the uterus.

The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists argues that both copper and hormonal IUDs “clearly can cause the death of embryos both before and after implantation” by affecting the lining of the uterus.

The website of Americans United for Life says the group takes “no stance on the underlying issue of contraceptive use,” but states elsewhere that people who ingest emergency contraception “take the lives of their unborn children.”

Last week, an Indiana birth control bill was stripped of IUDs after an anti-abortion group met with lawmakers.

It doesn’t matter what science says. Republicans believe embryos are people, and an IUD kills people, so they will push for it to become law.

Heads up, if we don’t flip the Texas House this year, we’ll probably see legislation similar to this from House Republicans.

Some Birth Control.

Last year, in a report by The New Yorker, they dropped a bombshell about the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian litigation group with a string of Supreme Court wins and a $104 million dollar budget in 2022. Alan Sears, a long-term leader of the group, told the New Yorker of his hopes that one day, Americans would “say the birth control pill is a mistake.”

Hormonal contraceptives include birth control pills, patches, injections, and rings that release hormones to prevent ovulation. While their primary action is to prevent the egg from being released, they also change the uterine lining, potentially affecting the implantation of a fertilized egg.

Anti-abortion groups don’t see it that way. They claim that hormonal contraceptives like IUDs and the pill can cause abortions. 

Anti-abortion groups, like Students for Life of America, whose president has said she wants such contraceptives to be illegal. The fast-growing group has built a social media campaign spreading the false idea that hormonal birth control is an abortifacient.

In fact, I just saw these assholes at my college campus this week. I snapped a few photos of them because I was so appalled.

They had a little poll going, and the vast majority of them disagreed with them.

Women will lose all bodily autonomy if Republicans win Congress or the Senate in 2024 and even beyond.

In recent months, it seems like these Christofascist ideas have grown louder. All women and voters must understand the broader implications of HR 431. This bill goes beyond abortion and targets IVF, IUDs, and birth control under the guise of protecting life.

Republicans are actively trying to destroy women’s health rights and access to reproductive care across the United States.

Not only does the bill infringe on women’s rights to make decisions about their bodies, but also on their ability to plan and manage their reproductive health. This could lead to a significant increase in unintended pregnancies, with profound implications for women’s health, economic stability, and the well-being of families across the nation.

The importance of voting and political engagement.

The future of reproductive rights in America heavily depends on the outcomes of the upcoming 2024 election. It’s critical if you support women’s autonomy and healthcare to access to vote in local, state, and national elections. Electing representatives who will oppose restrictive legislation like HR 431 and advocate for women’s rights is the only way to stop this. Vote.

Important 2024 primary election days:

• March 1, 2024: Last Day of Early Voting.

• March 5, 2024: Election Day!

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