Pro-Life Leaders Praise Court’s Heartbeat Ruling

Pro-life leaders praised the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling Dec. 10 that Texas abortions providers can legally challenge the state’s ban on most abortions but the justices did not issue a stay, thus allowing the current law to remain in effect.

The current Texas law mandates that once a heartbeat is detected abortion is illegal. The law, which has been in place since Sept. 1, is expected to face additional legal challenges. 

“We are pleased that Texas babies will continue to be saved from abortion as the Supreme Court has allowed the Texas Heartbeat law to stay in effect pending further legal challenge,” Benjamin Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, said. “Louisiana will continue to offer life-affirming help to any woman coming to Louisiana from Texas.”

Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, expressed encouragement that the court has allowed the Heartbeat Law to stand, as it saves thousands of lives. 

“While the court has still not heard a case on the constitutionality of the law itself, this is a victory,” Father Pavone said. “We are studying the court’s decision in more detail, as well as the implications of lawsuits that it is allowing to continue in the lower courts against state licensing officials (but not judges and clerks).

“We also hope the Biden administration will learn a lesson that it does not have some kind of right to enforce the ‘right to abortion.’ We are the United States, and the states have the right to govern themselves. Their right to protect the unborn needs to be recognized and protected.”