06/20/2024

Democrats Seek to Repeal Comstock Abortion Rule

They fear a Trump crackdown should he win

Democrats are seeking to overhaul an 1873 federal law that bans abortion-related materials from being sent through the mail, worried that a future Trump administration could invoke the Comstock Act to crack down on abortion access or effectively ban the procedure altogether.

"There is a very clear, well-organized plan afoot by the MAGA Republicans to use Comstock as a tool to ban medication abortion, and potentially all abortions," said Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), who on Thursday plans to introduce legislation to repeal the Comstock Act’s abortion provisions. "My job is to take that tool away."

The Democrats' push to defang the 151-year-old law comes less than five months before a presidential election in which reproductive rights appear destined to play a defining role. But the party's mixed reaction to the plan underscores the balancing act between policy aspirations and political realities.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.