U.S. Justice Department Files Suit Against Texas, Seeking to Block New Abortion Law
Washington D.C. - The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the State of Texas over a new state law that bans most abortions.
The Texas law, known as SB8, bans abortions once cardiac activity can be detected — usually around six weeks, before some women know they’re pregnant. Currently, under SB8, a person could a woman who gets an abortion — even if they have no connection to the woman — and could be entitled to at least $10,000 in damages if they prevail in court.
The Justice Department argues the law unlawfully infringes on the constitutional rights of women and violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which says federal law supersedes state law.
In response to the law, Attorney General Merrick Garland vowed the Justice Department would step in to enforce a federal law known as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The FACE act normally prohibits physically obstructing access to abortion clinics by blocking entrances or threatening to use force to intimidate or interfere with someone.
Earlier this week, Governor Greg Abbott released a statement, vowing that Texas would strive to “eliminate all rapists from the streets.”
Source(s):
U.S. DOJ: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/statement-attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-regarding-texas-sb8-0