Trump Admin Rescinds Biden-Era Abortion Mandate

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Above: A screenshot of the Biden Administration’s now-rescinded guidance requiring emergency rooms to perform abortions.

On Tuesday the federal Department of Health and Human Services announced it is rescinding “guidance” the Biden Administration issued in 2022 requiring emergency rooms to perform abortions under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).

EMTALA is a decades-old law signed by President Ronald Reagan. It is designed to ensure people are able to receive emergency care even if they are unable to pay.

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, President Biden’s Department of Health and Human Services released a letter and guidance telling doctors and hospitals that EMTALA requires them to perform abortions as a “stabilizing treatment” or transfer the woman to another facility for an abortion if the abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the mother — even if the abortion would be illegal under state law.

Health exceptions for abortion are notoriously vague and can actually permit abortion on demand in many cases. That’s why states like Arkansas limit abortion to situations where the mother’s life is at risk instead of using a broader “health” exception. That’s also part of the reason why the Biden administration’s reinterpretation of EMTALA was a serious problem, prompting lawsuits from pro-life groups. Family Council was able to join amicus briefs in those cases.

Tuesday’s decision by the Trump administration means emergency room doctors won’t be forced to perform abortions or provide abortion referrals. That is a major, pro-life victory.

The federal government has no business trying to overrule state pro-life laws or turn emergency rooms into abortion facilities. Family Council appreciates all of the pro-life leaders who have stood against these bad federal policies, and we appreciate the Trump administration’s decision to rescind President Biden’s flawed “guidance” from 2022.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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State of Arkansas Reports 0 Abortions in 2024

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Official reports from the Arkansas Department of Health’s Vital Statistics show no abortions occurred in the state during 2024.

Arkansas law generally prohibits abortion, but it contains exceptions for situations in which the mother’s life is at risk.

The state publishes annual reports every June documenting the number of abortions performed during the previous year.

The Health Department recently released three different reports showing the number of abortions performed last year, the number of women who experienced complications from abortion, and the number of abortions necessary to save the life of the mother. All three reports show 0 abortions during 2024.

In the past, Arkansas has averaged around 3,200 abortions per year. All in all, our team estimates Arkansas’ pro-life laws are protecting thousands of women and unborn children from abortion each year.

These reports are great news. Arkansas has successfully prohibited abortion except to save the life of the mother. Arkansas’ pro-life laws are protecting women, and they are saving unborn children.

Last year a flawed measure that would have repealed Arkansas’ pro-life laws and written abortion into the state constitution nearly made the ballot.

If passed, the Arkansas Abortion Amendment would have allowed thousands of elective abortions in Arkansas every year.

The amendment did not contain any medical licensing or health and safety standards for abortion.

It contained sweeping health exceptions that would permit abortion on demand through all nine months of pregnancy in many cases.

The amendment also would have paved the way for publicly funded abortion in Arkansas by changing Amendment 68 to the Arkansas Constitution that currently prohibits taxpayer funded abortion in the state.

Fortunately, the Arkansas Supreme Court disqualified the measure from the ballot after recognizing its sponsors failed to comply with state laws governing the initiative process.

This year Arkansas’ legislators also rejected measures that would have weakened the state’s pro-life laws.

The State of Arkansas has invested millions of dollars to help support women with unplanned pregnancies.

That is something to celebrate.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Arkansas Awards $1.9M+ to Pregnancy Help Organizations for 2025 Budget Cycle

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The State of Arkansas has awarded more than $1.9 million in publicly funded grants to pro-life pregnancy help organizations this budget cycle, according to the state’s official transparency website.

The grant funding is part of a $2 million appropriation the Arkansas Legislature approved in 2024. The grants promote maternal wellness and help pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies, and other organizations that provide material support to women with unplanned pregnancies.

Arkansas does not give grant funding to abortionists or their affiliates.

Since 2022 Family Council has worked with the Arkansas Legislature and the governor to secure funding every year for pregnancy resource centers. These state-funded grants have helped support dozens of charities that assist women and children in Arkansas.

Arkansas’ fiscal year ends on June 30. To date, 35 organizations have received funding this budget cycle. That’s something to celebrate!

Pregnancy resource centers and similar organizations give women real options besides abortion. That’s why a growing number of states provide these organizations with public funding.

It’s important to pass laws to prohibit abortion, but we also need to assist women with unplanned pregnancies.

This year Family Council was pleased to work with lawmakers to secure another $2 million in grant money for pregnancy help organizations in the state’s upcoming 2025-2026 budget cycle.

Below is a list of pregnancy help organizations and the amount of grant funding each has received from the State of Arkansas so far this fiscal year.

OrganizationDoing Business AsGrant Funding
INFORMED CHOICES WOMENS CENTER OF THE OZ$128,474.43
HEART TO HEART PREGNANCY SUPPORT CENTER$81,321.88
OPEN ARMS PREGNANCY CENTER INC$81,321.00
ARKANSAS BAPTIST CHILDRENS HOMES AND FAMLIVING WELL COUNSELING$81,301.88
CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER OF CENTRAL ARKANCARING HEARTS PREGNANCY CENTER$81,209.26
PATHWAY RESOURCE CENTER$78,981.88
LIFES CHOICE PREGNANCY CARE CENTER$75,856.88
CRITTENDEN COUNTY CARES$50,004.00
HOPEPLACE MONTICELLO$50,000.00
HOPEPLACE – FORDYCE$50,000.00
PREGNANCY HELP CENTERPREGNANCY HELP CLINIC$50,000.00
CHANGEPOINT PREGNANCY CARE AND PARENTING$50,000.00
ST FRANCIS HOUSE NWA INCCOMMUNITY CLINIC$50,000.00
OPTIONS A PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER INCOPTIONS$50,000.00
NEW BEGINNINGS PREGNANCY HELP CENTER OF$50,000.00
PLUM FOUNDATIONPEACE LOVE UNDERSTANDING MERCY$50,000.00
NEW BEGINNINGS PREGNANCY CENTER$50,000.00
COMPASSION MINISTRIES LTD$50,000.00
ST BERNARDS DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION$50,000.00
SOUTH ARKANSAS CARING PREGNANCY CENTERHANNAH PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER$50,000.00
ST JOSEPHS HELPERS OF PULASKI COUNTYARKANSAS PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER$50,000.00
ABUNDANT LIFE PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER$49,876.00
FORT SMITH CHRISTIAN FAMILY SERVICES INC1ST CHOICE PREGNANCY MEDICAL CENTER$49,850.00
HOPE OF THE DELTA CENTER$49,349.04
DISCERNMENT LLC$49,185.00
CRADLE THE MATERNITY SUPPORT CENTER OF CKATHLEEN BLOSSOM$49,000.00
HOPEPLACE NEWPORT$49,000.00
ACTS OF HOPE INCACTS OF HOPE, PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER$48,776.00
CHOICES PREGNANCY RESOURCE CLINIC INC$45,048.00
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD FAMILY SERVICESCOMPACT FAMILY SERVICES$44,273.00
PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER FOR SOUTHWEST$43,700.00
BAPTIST HEALTH FOUNDATION$43,500.00
HOPES FIRST CHOICE PREGNANCY RESOURCE CE$26,415.00
CENTRAL BAPTIST ASSOCIATIONBREATH OF LIFE PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER$26,249.00
ARKANSAS PREGNANCY NETWORK$20,423.82
Total$1,903,116.07

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