CV NEWS FEED // Pro-life Rep. Chris Smith, of New Jersey, issued a response to the Supreme Court’s decision that mandates Idaho doctors to perform abortions under specific circumstances.
As reported by CatholicVote, the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss Moyle (Idaho) v. United States as “improvidently granted” effectively reinstates a lower court’s order that Idaho hospitals must conduct emergency abortions for maternal health protection.
With the litigation continuing in the lower courts, Smith, Co-Chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus, expressed his hope that the lower courts would recognize that both The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) and Idaho’s Defense of Life Act concur regarding the necessity of protecting the lives of pregnant women and unborn children.
Smith highlighted that EMTALA does not mandate hospitals to perform abortions. It requires them to provide care for both the pregnant woman and her baby. It is not in conflict with Idaho’s Defense of Life Act.
According to Smith, the Biden Administration has created an inaccurate interpretation of EMTALA in order to put pressure on Idaho state law and create unreasonable doubts about whether pregnant women in emergency situations would receive proper care.
Smith concluded with a statement: “As this case moves through the lower courts, our diligent work to provide women and their unborn children with real care that prioritizes their health and safety must continue.”
