The Trump Administration proposed a gag law to prevent abortions.
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Drew Angerer / Getty Images
The Trump administration warned California that it should stop demanding health insurance plans in the state to provide coverage for abortion; otherwise the state runs the risk of losing federal money.
In practice, this would mean limiting access to abortion services in health coverage plans.
The announcement was made by President Donald Trump hours before he addressed the demonstrators of the Pro-Life march in Washington.
The Department of Health and Human Services revealed that it will notify California that it has 30 days to comply with federal law known as the Weldon Amendment, which prohibits health care funds from being provided to states that discriminate against health care organizations that do not provide coverage for abortions.
According to Roger Severino, head of the civil rights office of the Department of Human and Health Services, California violates the restriction by requiring insurance plans to cover abortions.
"If the state receives federal funds, they cannot discriminate against a health plan that declines coverage for abortions”Said Severino. He added that they have received complaints of orders from religious such as the Guadalupanas Missionaries of the Holy Spirit and the Skyline Wesleyan Church near San Diego.
The reactions were swift, Alexis McGill Johnson, interim president of the Planned Parenthood action fund said they did not need to confirm that the current president of the United States is determined to do everything possible to end access to legal and safe abortion.
“Since the beginning of this administration, it has carried out a total assault on our health and our rights. In the midst of this show, it is important that people realize that abortion is normal and is health care, ”he said,
And he said that almost one in four women will have an abortion in his life, and the vast majority of people in this country want abortion to remain legal and accessible.
"People who have had an abortion deserve compassion and access to the best medical care available, so as not to be stigmatized and considered villains by the president of the United States," he noted.
He added that even if Trump supports the small number of Americans who want politicians to interfere with their personal health decisions, they will support almost 80 percent of Americans who support access to abortion. "We will never stop fighting for all the people in this country who need access to sexual and reproductive health, including abortion," he said.
The governor of California responded on Twitter, “Trump is threatening to take all our financing for health care. 10 billion dollars. 10 million people who are poor, sick, children, elderly and families who will lose their health care. And still you call yourself ‘pro vida’ @realDonaldTrump. You make me sick".
California attorney Xavier Becerra said that women's health should never be used as bait for political showdownco. “Today, Donald Trump is using official levels of government to advance his political agenda. Sounds familiar to you. In California we will continue to protect our families' access to health, including the constitutional right of women to abortion, ”he said.
