Chuck Darwin<p>Democrats are seeking to overhaul an 1873 federal law that bans abortion-related materials from being sent through the mail, </p><p>worried that a future Trump administration could invoke the <a href="https://c.im/tags/ComstockAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ComstockAct</span></a> to crack down on abortion access or effectively ban the procedure altogether.<br>
“There is a very clear, well-organized plan afoot by the <a href="https://c.im/tags/MAGA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MAGA</span></a> Republicans to use <a href="https://c.im/tags/Comstock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Comstock</span></a> as a tool to ban medication abortion, and potentially all abortions,” said Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), <br>who on Thursday plans to introduce legislation to repeal the Comstock Act’s <a href="https://c.im/tags/abortion" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>abortion</span></a> provisions. </p><p>⭐️“My job is to take that tool away.”⭐️<br>
Democrats’ push to defang the 151-year-old law comes less than five months before a presidential election <br>in which reproductive rights appear destined to play a defining role. </p><p>But the party’s mixed reaction to the plan underscores the balancing act between policy aspirations and political realities.</p><p>
Sens. Elizabeth <a href="https://c.im/tags/Warren" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Warren</span></a> (D-Mass.), Catherine Cortez <a href="https://c.im/tags/Masto" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Masto</span></a> (D-Nev.) and other Democrats have signed on to the legislation, <br>according to Smith’s office. </p><p>Rep. Becca <a href="https://c.im/tags/Balint" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Balint</span></a> (D-Vt.) will introduce companion legislation in the House, <br>and in an interview she said she believed House Democratic leaders support the effort.</p><p> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/06/20/comstock-abortion-repeal-tina-smith-senate/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">washingtonpost.com/health/2024</span><span class="invisible">/06/20/comstock-abortion-repeal-tina-smith-senate/</span></a></p>