Unfortunately, a Polk County District Court judge granted a temporary injunction blocking enforcement of the new “heartbeat” law today, July 17. The bill was signed on July 14 by Gov. Reynolds and was in force over the weekend.
The law prohibits abortions after a heartbeat can be detected.
ACLU and Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit against the law last week claiming it is unconstitutional because the Iowa Constitution protects a right to an abortion.
The judge’s order allows the Board of Medicine to proceed with rule making for the law. We anticipate the dispute will finally end up at the Iowa Supreme Court.
The bishops’ recent statement on passage of the law is here.
U.S. bishops’ family life committee chairman comments on FDA approval of over-the-counter oral contraceptive
In reaction to the news from July 13 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the oral contraceptive, Opill, to be dispensed over the counter, Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, commented:
“This action by a government entity flies in the face of responsible medical practice and concerns for women’s health. Claims that the benefits of this action outweigh the risks are unfounded, especially in light of strong evidence of the many harmful risks of hormonal contraception to women’s health.
“Allowing this hormonal contraception to be dispensed ‘over the counter’—without the supervision of a doctor and contrary to the mounting evidence of many harmful side effects—violates the Hippocratic Oath by putting the health of women at grave risk.”
Bishop raises concern about use of cluster bombs
In light of the Biden Administration’s recent decision to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine, Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace, raised concern about their use in the Russia-Ukraine war. His full statement follows:
“Over 100 countries, including the Holy See, have signed the 2010 Convention on Cluster Munitions banning their use, recognizing their indiscriminate nature and risk to civilian populations long after fighting has ceased. But the United States and Russia have not signed the agreement. I, and my predecessors as chairmen of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, have long urged the U.S. government to sign on to both the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Mine Ban Treaty.
“Pope Francis has addressed the conventions on antipersonnel mines and cluster munitions, exhorting all countries to commit to these conventions ‘so that there are no more mine victims.’ While recognizing Ukraine’s right to self-defense, we must continue to pray for dialogue and peace, and I join with our Holy Father in supporting and sharing in his moral concern and aspiration.”