Mike JohNson’s new position in the house and what that means for reproductive rights
After Representative Kevin McCarthy was removed as speaker of the House, Mike Johnson was elected as the new speaker, leaving reproductive rights once again in the hands of Republicans. Although not all Republicans believe in restricting reproductive care, Johnson has outwardly opposed abortion rights. Mike Johnson was a former attorney and spokesperson for the Alliance Defending Freedom – a conservative Christian legal group. Most notably, ADF recently challenged the FDA’s approval of mifepristone. With his previous experience as a conservative lawmaker, it is no surprise that Johnson openly opposes abortion access.
Johnson also served as the head of the Republican Study Committee. During his time, he went before the Supreme Court in the Dobbs V. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case. He stated that abortion was a state’s right to decide, not federal. Yet, he supported federal bills that limit when a woman can terminate a pregnancy. Johnson also testified in 2021 at the Texas abortion ban hearing, stating that life begins at the moment of fertilization. Additionally, he opposed the Right to Contraception Act. This act ensured that individuals have the right to obtain contraceptives to prevent pregnancy. Even with a republican majority in the house, the bill passed in July 2020.
Johnson’s actions and involvement with these organizations show no hope for reproductive justice in the House of Representatives. Unfortunately the possibility of his views around reproducing rights changing are slim. He is tightly aligned with Republicans in the House to make deals and agreements, so if his views change it will cause an outrage within his party. However, there is only one more year until the House elections, and pro-choice advocates can once again try to reclaim the house.
https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/25/mike-johnson-house-speaker-texans/
