The Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services is threatening to pull federal funding from California for requiring private insurers to cover abortion.

The department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a notice of violation to California Friday, saying the state was breaking federal conscience laws. Specifically, HHS says the state is in violation of the Weldon Amendment, which bars federal funds for any state or local program that “subjects any institutional or individual health care entity to discrimination on the basis that the health care entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.”

A 2014 California rule requires all insurance plans to cover abortion.

HHS was acting on complaints from Skyline Wesleyan Church and Missionary Guadalupanas of the Holy Spirit, a Catholic order of religious sisters.

California has 30 days to respond. If it doesn’t roll back the requirement, the state could lose federal money, HHS said. Further, “this action may ultimately result in limitations on continued receipt of certain HHS funds,” HHS said in a statement.

“No one in America should be forced to pay for or cover other people’s abortions,” said OCR Director Roger Severino. “We are putting California on notice that it must stop forcing people of good will to subsidize the taking of human life, not only because it’s the moral thing to do, but because it’s the law.”

Alex Azar, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said the Trump administration once again was “delivering” on Trump’s “promise to protect human life and all Americans’ freedom of conscience.”

“Under President Trump, HHS has been vigorously enforcing the statutes Congress passed to protect Americans’ consciences and institutionalizing these protections within the department’s civil rights work,” Azar said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, disagreed with the interpretation of the Weldon Amendment.

“Despite a federal opinion four years ago [during the Obama administration] confirming California’s compliance with the Weldon Amendment, the Trump Administration would rather rile up its base to score cheap political points and risk access to care for millions than do what’s right,” Newsom said. “California will continue to protect a woman’s right to choose, and we won’t back down from defending reproductive freedom for everybody – full stop.  Christian Headline News

The following is from Pro Life Across America

  • 18 days from conception, heart begins to beat, with the baby’s own blood.
  • 28 days from conception a baby has eyes, ears, and even a tongue!
  • 28 days from conception: Muscles are developing along the future spine. Arms and legs are budding.
  • 30 days: Child has grown 10,000 times to 6-7mm (1/4”) long. Brain has human proportions. Blood flows in veins.
  • 42 days: Skeleton is formed. Brain coordinates movement of muscles and organs. Reflex responses have begun.
  • 42 days: Brain waves can be detected, the jaw forms, including teeth and taste buds. The unborn baby begins to swallow amniotic fluid. Fingers and toes are developing.
  • 45 days from conception: The unborn baby is making body movements, a full 12 weeks before the mother may notice such stirrings. By seven weeks the chest and abdomen are fully formed. Swimming with a natural swimmer’s stroke in the amniotic fluid, the baby now looks like a miniature human infant.
  • 44-45 days: Buds of milk teeth appear, and the unborn baby’s facial muscles develop. Eyelids begin to form, protecting the developing eyes. Elbows take shape. Internal organs are present, but immature. 99% of muscles are present, each with its own nerve supply.
  • 52 Days: Spontaneous movement begins. The unborn baby then develops a whole collection of moves over the next 4 weeks including hiccuping, frowning, squinting, furrowing the brow, pursing the lips, moving individual arms and legs, head turning, touching his/her face, breathing (without air), stretching, opening the mouth, yawning and sucking.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. Psalms 139:14-16