Cassidy, Lankford, Colleagues File Amicus Brief to Challenge HHS’ Extreme Abortion Agenda

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and James Lankford (R-OK) filed an amicus curiae brief to the U.S Supreme Court in Oklahoma v. Department of Health and Human Services. This brief comes following the Biden administration's decision to withhold health care funding from Oklahoma unless the state refers women for abortions. Cassidy and Lankford were joined on this brief by U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS).

"The Biden-Harris administration has spent four years pushing its radical, pro-abortion agenda at every opportunity with alarming disregard for the conscience rights of health care providers," said Dr. Cassidy. "As incoming HELP Committee Chair, I'm glad to support this amicus brief to restore Oklahoma's Title X funding and defend the rights of health care providers nationwide."

"President Biden is obsessed with abortion on demand. Oklahomans should not have to miss out on funding for critical health services for women, including AIDS testing and cancer screenings, because of the Administration's extreme abortion agenda. I am proud to lead my colleagues on this brief that puts actual health care ahead of abortion," said Senator Lankford.

"The Biden administration cares more about pushing a radically extreme abortion agenda than they do about actually protecting women's health. I'm proud to support this legislation which will make sure women have access to the medical care they need while also protecting government and health care employees from being forced to provide abortion referrals," said Senator Daines.

"The Biden administration's decision to withhold crucial healthcare funding unless Oklahoma capitulates to its extreme abortion agenda is not just wrong, it sets a dangerous and coercive precedent. Access to essential health care should not be held hostage to advance a political agenda," said Senator Hyde-Smith. "I'm proud to join Senator Lankford in this amicus brief to defend Oklahoma's right to protect life and prevent the weaponization of federal funds."

The amicus brief argues:

• The Weldon amendment robustly protects the conscientious objections of health care institutions, such as the Oklahoma Department of Health.
• The Weldon Amendment protects all health care objectors regardless of the reason for the objection.
• Caselaw views conscientious objections from the perspective of the objector.

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