Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 11 april 2019
States pushing near-bans on abortion, targeting Roe v. Wade

By DAVID CRARY with the addition of Trump
AP National Writer appointees.
Emboldened by the new If even one circuit breaks
conservative majority on with Roe v. Wade and up-
the Supreme Court, anti- holds a heartbeat ban, that
abortion lawmakers and could be enough for the
activists in numerous states Supreme Court to take up
are pushing near-total the issue, said Justin Dyer, a
bans on the procedure in political science professor
a deliberate frontal attack at the University of Missouri.
on Roe v. Wade. Alternatively, the high court
Mississippi and Kentucky could agree to hear any of
have passed laws that several less sweeping anti-
would ban most abortions abortion measures. Some
after a fetal heartbeat is would tighten restrictions
detected, which means on clinics; others seek to
as early as six weeks, when ban certain categories of
many women don’t even abortions.
know they’re pregnant. What might happen at the
Georgia could join them Supreme Court is far from
if Republican Gov. Brian clear. Legal experts are un-
Kemp signs a measure that sure what effect the Trump
has been sent to him. appointees might have, or
And a bill in Ohio won final where Chief Justice John
approval Wednesday in Roberts stands in regard to
the Republican-controlled In this Jan. 18, 2019, file photo, anti-abortion activists protest outside of the U.S. Supreme Court, Roe.
legislature; it now heads during the March for Life in Washington. Schneller said she is skepti-
to GOP Gov. Mike DeW- Associated Press cal the reconfigured court
ine, who said he will sign it. lins, acknowledged that stitutional and lawmakers now by a federal judge; will overturn or weaken
The final votes followed a the measure — like the know it — they just don’t abortion-rights lawyers are Roe, as abortion foes are
spirited committee hearing heartbeat bills — is intend- care.” The goal, she said, seeking a similar injunction hoping: “Over 45 years,
where abortion rights activ- ed as a direct challenge is to “challenge access to in Mississippi before the law the court has had different
ists evoked an era of back to Roe, the 1973 Supreme safe, legal abortion nation- there takes effect July 1. compositions, and we’ve
alleys and coat-hanger Court ruling that legalized ally.” “The lower courts are going always gotten the same
abortions. abortion nationwide. Activists and legal experts to find these laws uncon- answer.”
Similar bills have been “To me this is an issue the on both sides of the de- stitutional because the Su- Michael New, an abortion
filed in at least seven other court simply got wrong bate agree that getting a preme Court requires that opponent who teaches
states with anti-abortion years ago,” said Collins, Supreme Court decision on outcome,” said Hillary Sch- social research at Catho-
GOP majorities in their leg- who hopes President Don- such a defining case is un- neller, an attorney with the lic University of America,
islatures. ald Trump’s appointments likely any time soon. Center for Reproductive warned that it is impossible
Alabama may go further, of Neil Gorsuch and Brett The bans may face difficul- Rights. to predict what the court
with legislation introduced Kavanaugh to the Supreme ties just reaching the high However, some federal ap- will do but said Kavana-
last week to criminalize Court lead to a reconsider- court, given that Roe es- peals courts around the ugh’s appointment “gives
abortion at any stage un- ation of Roe. tablished a clear right to country, such as the 5th pro-lifers hope that legis-
less the mother’s health is in Staci Fox, Atlanta-based an abortion during the first Circuit, which covers Mis- lation which offers more
jeopardy. CEO of Planned Parent- three months of pregnan- sissippi, Louisiana and Tex- comprehensive protection
The chief sponsor of the hood Southeast, said these cy. Kentucky’s heartbeat as, are viewed as having to the unborn will receive a
Alabama bill, Rep. Terri Col- bans are “blatantly uncon- law has been blocked for grown more conservative sympathetic hearing.”q

Nearly $1B in contracts awarded for border fence sections

PHOENIX (AP) — The Army Inc., of Bozeman, Montana, comment. Laiken Jordahl,
Corps of Engineers has was awarded a $187 million borderlands campaigner
awarded contracts total- contract for the other work. for the Center for Biologi-
ing nearly $1 billion to re- The contractors will re- cal Diversity, said the ad-
place short barriers with tall move waist-length fenc- ditional fencing will sever a
fences along two sections ing, known as vehicle bar- known corridor for a wide
of the U.S.-Mexico border. riers, and replace it with tall range of species. “It’s hard
The Corps of Engineers said fencing that will go up to to explain just how much
in a statement Wednesday 30-feet high in New Mexico. the wall impacts the entire
that 46 miles (74 kilometers) The new fencing is similar to ecosystem,” Jordahl said.q
of fencing will be installed what’s already in place in
near Columbus, New Mexi- large parts of the border.
co, and 11 miles (18 kilome- The Corps said the fencing
ters) will be installed near will help “impede and deny
Yuma, Arizona. illegal border crossings and
The fencing in New Mexico smuggling of drugs and hu-
will be installed by SLSCo. This April 6, 2018, file photo, provided by U.S. Customs and mans.”
Border Protection, shows a new type of bollard wall that will
of Galveston, Texas, which replace existing wire mesh and vehicle barriers near the Santa The Department of Home-
got a $789 million contract. Teresa, N.M., port of entry. land Security has not re-
Barnard Construction Co. Associated Press sponded to an inquiry for