Gottheimer Goes into Battle Mode

Josh Gottheimer wants to make sure the feds give no help to crisis pregnancy centers.

The congressman from CD-5, which ranges over parts of Bergen, Passaic and Sussex counties, trumpeted his opposition Thursday morning to a bill that would allow federal money to support what Gottheimer called phony medical centers that push an extreme, anti-choice agenda.

He said some of these centers have no medical expertise and that their aim is to manipulate women.

Gottheimer said in a zoom call that the centers, about 50 of which exist in New Jersey, typically do not inform pregnant women that abortion is an option, even in the case of rape, incest or the woman’s own health.
The bill in question, which is expected to be voted on in the House this week, is officially called the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act. It would, technically, prohibit the Biden Administration’s Health and Human Services department from restricting funding for pregnancy centers. Or in other words, funding, which is distributed through the states, will continue if the bill passes.

Broadly speaking, this is another salvo in the national abortion rights battle that intensified after the June, 2022, Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

Gottheimer previously talked about this issue.

Back in October, he held a press conference outside the Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center in Hackensack, condemning the facility as a place that seeks to “brainwash” women in need.

That episode prompted a response from Assemblyman Jay Webber, a Republican from Morris Plains.

Webber, who is pro-life, observed at the time:

“This is what the left does: demonizes people with whom they disagree. Shameful.”

Webber added in a “tweet” that he would make a donation to Lighthouse.

In the polarized environment of the day, you would expect the bill to pass the House, although the Republican majority can afford to lose only a few votes.

Beyond that, however, it’s indisputable that the court’s 2022 decision has benefitted Democrats, who talk about women’s rights a lot.

The abortion rights side has won seven state referendums on the issue without a defeat. The Dems also did better than expected in the 2022 midterms nationwide and last year in New Jersey, where they won six seats in the Assembly.

Clearly, Gottheimer is on safe political ground here.

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