Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Warnings Raised Of Violent Protests Against Roe Reversal
Law enforcement officials across the country are preparing for unrest in the wake of the Supreme Court鈥檚 anticipated reversal of Roe v. Wade. On Wednesday, more than 150 officials nationwide joined a call to discuss concerns about growing threats in the wake of the news, including potential danger to Supreme Court justices. The National Fusion Center Association, representing dozens of intelligence-sharing hubs around the country, hosted the call, which included state and local law enforcement officials along with officials from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security. The call focused on threats that have metastasized in the wake of POLITICO鈥檚 publication of an initial draft opinion that indicates the Supreme Court could overturn federal abortion protections, according to two people on the call who described it to POLITICO. (Swan, 5/5)
An imposing, "unscalable" eight-foot-high fence has been erected at the U.S. Supreme Court in the wake of protests over a bombshell draft opinion on abortion. ... The protests outside the court's marble front steps have been largely peaceful, prompting some to question why the new security barrier -- reminiscent of the unscalable fencing placed around the U.S. Capitol after the violence of Jan. 6, 2021 -- is necessary. (Hutzler, 5/5)
Hundreds of Utahns 鈥 mostly teenagers and young adults 鈥 attended a rally Thursday afternoon on the steps of the state Capitol in response to news that the U.S. Supreme Court may restrict abortion access. The speakers, some of whom were as young as 16, emphasized the importance of bodily autonomy and supporting Utahns in making their own decisions in their lives, while others shared their personal stories about abortion and sexual assault. 鈥淭he power is with us,鈥 not the courts, one speaker said to a cheering crowd. (Jacobs, 5/6)
Abortion-rights advocates are sending coat hangers to the Supreme Court after a leaked document indicated a majority of the justices plan to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which effectively legalized access to abortions across the U.S. After the draft document leaked earlier this week, many people took to social media platforms and forums, including TikTok and Reddit, in which they claimed to have sent coat hangers to the high court in Washington D.C. (Anglesey, 5/5)
The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) has urged Hollywood not to shoot films and TV shows in states that ban abortions. The guild's announcement came after a draft Supreme Court opinion leaked on Monday revealed that the court's majority was prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. "In light of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion rights, we want to reaffirm our Guild's commitment to fighting on our members' behalf against inequality and discrimination," the labor union said on Twitter Wednesday. WGAW represents writers in film, television, radio and internet programming. (Bartov, 5/5)
And reaction from Latinos who are against abortion 鈥
The leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion聽that would overturn聽Roe v. Wade, the landmark law that legalized abortion nationwide,聽has emboldened Latinos who are fighting to end abortions in the U.S. "It gives me a lot of hope. ... This is the way that I was hoping it would go," said Maria Oswalt, 27, of Rehumanize International, a nonprofit organization that opposes abortion. 鈥淚t was shocking, in a good way, to see that the opinion was very unapologetically overturning Roe V. Wade." (Acevedo and Sesin, 5/6)
How corporations are responding 鈥
Senator Marco Rubio is sending a message to Amazon Inc., The Walt Disney Co., Citigroup Inc. and other U.S. companies that have vowed to pay travel costs for their employees to access abortion services or gender-affirming care for their children: Republicans want to make it more expensive. The Florida Republican, a potential contender for the GOP nomination in 2024, is proposing legislation that would prevent companies from writing off these costs for their employees and their families. The tax code generally allows companies to deduct their business costs, including employee health coverage and other benefits. (Davison and Ceron, 5/5)
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are discussing extending abortion benefits to cover travel after an internal debate was reignited this week by the leak of a draft Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade. The finance giants could follow the lead of Citigroup Inc. and pay travel expenses for employees seeking to end pregnancies away from states with restrictive abortion laws, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. Some senior leaders remain wary of the growing criticism by Republican lawmakers.聽(Natarajan and Abelson, 5/5)
Companies across the United States are announcing plans to help workers who live in states with abortion restrictions gain access to reproductive health care. A leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft ruling indicated that the court could soon overturn Roe v. Wade. Abortion would become illegal in at least 13 states if the Supreme Court overturns the decision, Axios' Oriana Gonzalez writes. (Scribner, 5/5)