Lankford, Rubio, Colleagues Move to Block Biden from Declaring Federal Emergency for Abortions

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jim Risch (R-ID), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Braun (R-IN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to introduce the Prohibiting Federal Emergencies for Abortion Act to prohibit the Biden Administration and any future Administration from declaring a federal emergency to expand abortion services. The legislation follows reports the Biden Administration may declare a public-health emergency to protect access to abortion services nationwide.

“The Biden Administration is obsessed with increasing abortion in America. Now they are even considering using a ‘public health emergency’ as an excuse to provide unlimited abortions now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe,” said Lankford. “Even the notion of this is ridiculous. This bill reminds all of us that public health emergencies are designed to save life, not take life. Clearly the Biden Administration will stop at nothing to promote abortions.”

“President Biden and Democrats are hell-bent on preserving the practice of murdering unborn Americans,” Rubio said. “We should be protecting the lives of innocent babies, not Planned Parenthood’s ability to kill them. I will do everything I can to protect life and block this gross abuse of presidential power.”

Lankford‘s bill would prohibit the president from declaring a national emergency under the Stafford Act to promote, support, or expand access to abortion or go after states that prohibit or otherwise restrict abortion.

Lankford celebrated the biggest win for life in a generation when the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey to allow decisions about abortions to return to elected representatives. In its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Court ruled that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion and that the authority to protect life at all stages falls to the American people.

Lankford has been a pro-life advocate and pro-parent advocate for his entire career, ensuring that babies, mothers, and parents are supported. Lankford has fought to protect life at every stage, make adoption more affordable, expand the child tax credit to the unborn, provide food assistance and healthcare to needy families, fund maternal and infant health programs, and incentivize giving so that local nonprofits can more easily assist those in need.

Lankford pushed back on the Biden Administration’s rule to allow taxpayer-funded abortions. He successfully secured language to save the long-standing Hyde and Weldon Amendments, which prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions and abortion-related discrimination against health care workers, including insurers.

Ahead of oral argument in Dobbs before the US Supreme Court, Lankford met with Students for Life during a prayer vigil. Lankford gave a moving speech on the Senate floor recognizing the significance of Dobbs in the fight for life. He joined an amicus brief signed by more than 220 Members of Congress supporting the state of Mississippi in Dobbs. 

Lankford published an op-ed ahead of Dobbs highlighting the pivotal moment the case presents for protecting the right to life in the nation. Lankford released two episodes of a four-part series on his podcast, The Breakdown with James Lankford, highlighting the science behind life in the womb and the stories behind the pro-life movement.

 ###