Bill introduced to overturn Obama birth control decision

The Hill is reporting that Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has introduced a bill that would roll back a recent decision by the Obama administration to require that insurance providers — with the exception of religious employers — cover birth control as a preventive service. Rubio is among a small group of legislators that receives money from a Catholic group that has been opposed to the mandate for some time.

Catholics may sue over birth control mandate

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is announcing that it will continue fighting a mandate for health insurers to cover birth control without co-payments.

VIDEO of U.S. Rep. Smith: Obama is peddler of death

The 24th GOP presidential debate in Tampa, Fla., Monday night drove home what has become more clear in the past few weeks: The Republican Party, at this stage in time, is not united — at least when it comes to who they think should lead the country instead of Barack Obama.

FRC pledges full assault on abortion rights this year

As anti-abortion activists protested (and abortion-rights activists counter-protested) the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade on Capitol Hill Monday, lawmakers and policy leaders gathered at the Family Research Council headquarters in Washington, D.C., to discuss effective anti-abortion strategy in 2012. Many of the speakers used super-charged language when discussing abortion and contraception, and goals centered on the GOP taking control over the Senate and White House in November to advance federal anti-abortion legislation.

Obama: All insurance plans will have to cover birth control

The Obama administration announced today that it is standing by its decision to require that insurance providers — with the exception of religious employers — cover birth control as a preventive service. Instead of giving in to requests that all objectors be able to opt out, the feds have instead given religious groups a one-year extension to meet the mandate.

Latina voters support abortion rights, poll shows

A new survey released from the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health found that “strong majorities” of Latina/os registered to vote support “access to legal abortion, affirm that they would offer support to a close friend or family member who had an abortion, and oppose politicians interfering in personal, private decisions about abortion,” the group reports.

Abortion rights, Planned Parenthood attacked at GOP presidential forum

Anti-abortion measures gaining steam around the country

Twice as many anti-abortion-rights state laws were passed in 2011 than in 2010, according to a new report by NARAL Pro-Choice America, the nation’s largest abortion-rights policy group. Even more legislation is expected in 2012, NARAL policy experts said during a Thursday press briefing on the 21st edition of “Who Decides? The Status of Women’s Reproductive Rights in the United States.”

Romney’s shaky record on abortion draws attack from left and right

As Saturday’s South Carolina primary voting draws close, presidential candidate Mitt Romney is being savaged on the right for his shifting stance on abortion, just as he was savaged months ago on the left for his shifting stance on abortion.

Shaffer nets $112K in fourth quarter amid rumors he may jump from CD4 race

Democratic state Senate President Brandon Shaffer, who is running fpr Congress against freshman Republican Rep. Cory Gardner in Colorado’s Fourth District, reported today that he pulled down $112,000 from more than 600 donors in the final quarter of 2011. The report comes as news circulates that Shaffer is testing the waters in the state’s Sixth Congressional District.