Abortion-rights group gives new Democratic majorities a to-do list, but Trump's veto looms

On Friday, Nov. 13, the national abortion-rights group Reproductive Freedom for All sent lawmakers a memo. The group used to be called NARAL Pro-Choice America. The memo says the Nov. 3 midterm election "has changed what is possible for abortion policy" ¹. It argues that voters "elected candidates who ran on reproductive freedom and rejected efforts to take abortion rights away" ¹.

The memo is a to-do list for Democrats who will soon hold power in Washington and in several state capitals ¹². Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate ⁷. The new Congress takes office in January, and Republicans keep their majorities until then, through the lame-duck session ².

Voters broke Republican gridlock and delivered a clear mandate to protect reproductive freedom.

What the group wants from Congress

In Washington, the group wants a federal law protecting the right to abortion and access to it. It also wants contraception rights written into federal law, wider access to in vitro fertilization (IVF), and a national paid family and medical leave program ¹. It asks Congress to use its spending bills to end the Hyde Amendment, the decades-old rule that bars federal money from paying for most abortions ¹².

Some of the requests reach well beyond abortion. The memo asks Congress to roll back the Medicaid cuts in the Republican tax-and-spending law Trump calls the "Big Beautiful Bill." It also asks Congress to bring back the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, the extra help with insurance costs that ran out ¹. Those enhanced credits expired on Dec. 31, 2025 ⁵.

From Channel GOPShapiro says he sued Trump 19 times, wonJosh Shapiro · 166 plays · captioned, with the source named

The group also wants the Senate to block judicial and executive nominees it sees as a threat to reproductive freedom. It backs Supreme Court changes: adding justices, setting term limits and adopting an ethics code the justices would have to follow ¹. And it calls for oversight of what it describes as federal agencies' efforts targeting medication abortion and emergency abortion care ¹.

The memo admits the limits. It says that "a potential presidential veto will shape what becomes law" ¹. But it argues that "new Democratic majorities in Congress have power to move legislation, negotiate funding, and demand votes" ¹.

Trump's record on Hyde

President Trump has signaled flexibility on the Hyde Amendment himself. In January, he spoke to House Republicans at their retreat about a health care deal. The Associated Press reported that he urged them to ease their opposition to changing Hyde to get one ⁵.

You gotta be a little flexible. You gotta work something. You gotta use ingenuity.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune held the line. He said any bill must ensure "that those dollars aren't being used to go against the practice that has been in place for the last 50 years" ⁵. Hyde first passed in 1976. It originally barred Medicaid, the health program for low-income Americans, from paying for most abortions except to save the woman's life or in cases of rape or incest ⁵.

That matters because the fight over expired ACA subsidies and the fight over Hyde are now bound together. Some Democrats want to end Hyde's restrictions as part of any subsidy deal, and Senate Republicans have signaled they will keep them ⁵.

The state-by-state push

The states may be where change comes fastest. The memo says "Nearly 24 million women live in states with new reproductive freedom trifectas" ¹. A trifecta means one party holds the governor's office and both chambers of the legislature. Democrats won six new trifectas and five new attorney general offices, according to a Mother Jones report ⁶.

The memo's state list includes shield laws in Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Those laws protect doctors who provide abortions from out-of-state legal action. The list also includes telemedicine shield protections in Minnesota and Nevada, and new protections in Wisconsin ¹. In Michigan, the group wants higher Medicaid payments for abortion care and an end to waiting periods and parental-involvement rules ¹.

In North Carolina, the memo says the results "could open a path to an abortion ban repeal" of the state's 12-week ban ¹. It says North Carolina sent more than $10 million to anti-abortion centers in 2026 ¹.

Some leaders have already made promises. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro plans to make abortion a priority in the first 100 legislative days of the state's first Democratic trifecta in more than 30 years ³. Georgia Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms says she will work with legislative leaders to deal with the state's six-week ban ³. Wisconsin Gov.-elect David Crowley named a state constitutional right to abortion as a top priority ³.

In Texas, Attorney General-elect Nathan Johnson has pledged to use his office to make sure health care providers "aren't sued for mailing abortion pills," the memo says ¹³.

Who will carry the bill, and the pushback

According to LifeNews, an anti-abortion news site, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher of Texas will co-chair the House Reproductive Freedom Caucus in the next Congress, alongside Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts ⁴. The site says Democrats listed the Women's Health Protection Act and a bill to end the Hyde rule among their first-100-hours priorities ⁴.

We look forward to working with her to deliver meaningful action through our new House majority.

Opponents are mobilizing. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the abortion-rights bill "should be called the Abortion on Demand Until Birth Act" ⁴. Abortion-rights groups reject that description of the bill.

Since the Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs decision ended the national right to abortion, 22 statewide ballot measures on abortion have been held, and the abortion-rights side has won 60% of the vote ⁶. Even so, the National Abortion Federation's leader warned that "As long as Trump holds executive and veto powers, we have more work than celebrating to do" ⁶.

As long as Trump holds executive and veto powers, we have more work than celebrating to do,

The Record

1. Jan 6, 2026Trump tells House Republicans to be "a little flexible" on the Hyde Amendment to get a health care deal ⁵.
2. Nov 3, 2026Democrats win control of the House and the Senate in the midterm election ⁷.
3. Nov 6, 2026Reproductive Freedom for All says new Democratic leaders in Georgia, Texas, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are promising action on abortion ³.
4. Nov 12, 2026LifeNews reports that Rep. Lizzie Fletcher will co-chair the House Reproductive Freedom Caucus next Congress ⁴.
5. Nov 13, 2026Reproductive Freedom for All sends its memo, saying nearly 24 million women live in states with new Democratic trifectas ¹.

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<h2>Abortion-rights group gives new Democratic majorities a to-do list, but Trump&#39;s veto looms</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files National Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/abortion-rights-group-gives-new-democratic-majorities-a-to-do-list-but-trump-s-veto">The GOP Files</a> on Saturday, November 14, 2026.</em></p> <p>On Friday, Nov. 13, the national abortion-rights group Reproductive Freedom for All sent lawmakers a memo. The group used to be called NARAL Pro-Choice America. The memo says the Nov. 3 midterm election &quot;has changed what is possible for abortion policy&quot; . It argues that voters &quot;elected candidates who ran on reproductive freedom and rejected efforts to take abortion rights away&quot; .</p> <p>The memo is a to-do list for Democrats who will soon hold power in Washington and in several state capitals . Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate . The new Congress takes office in January, and Republicans keep their majorities until then, through the lame-duck session .</p> <blockquote><p>Voters broke Republican gridlock and delivered a clear mandate to protect reproductive freedom.</p><p>&mdash; Mini Timmaraju, president and CEO, Reproductive Freedom for All</p></blockquote> <h2>What the group wants from Congress</h2> <p>In Washington, the group wants a federal law protecting the right to abortion and access to it. It also wants contraception rights written into federal law, wider access to in vitro fertilization (IVF), and a national paid family and medical leave program . It asks Congress to use its spending bills to end the Hyde Amendment, the decades-old rule that bars federal money from paying for most abortions .</p> <p>Some of the requests reach well beyond abortion. The memo asks Congress to roll back the Medicaid cuts in the Republican tax-and-spending law Trump calls the &quot;Big Beautiful Bill.&quot; It also asks Congress to bring back the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, the extra help with insurance costs that ran out . Those enhanced credits expired on Dec. 31, 2025 .</p> <p>The group also wants the Senate to block judicial and executive nominees it sees as a threat to reproductive freedom. It backs Supreme Court changes: adding justices, setting term limits and adopting an ethics code the justices would have to follow . And it calls for oversight of what it describes as federal agencies&#39; efforts targeting medication abortion and emergency abortion care .</p> <p>The memo admits the limits. It says that &quot;a potential presidential veto will shape what becomes law&quot; . But it argues that &quot;new Democratic majorities in Congress have power to move legislation, negotiate funding, and demand votes&quot; .</p> <h2>Trump&#39;s record on Hyde</h2> <p>President Trump has signaled flexibility on the Hyde Amendment himself. In January, he spoke to House Republicans at their retreat about a health care deal. The Associated Press reported that he urged them to ease their opposition to changing Hyde to get one .</p> <blockquote><p>You gotta be a little flexible. You gotta work something. You gotta use ingenuity.</p><p>&mdash; Donald Trump, President of the United States, Republican</p></blockquote> <p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune held the line. He said any bill must ensure &quot;that those dollars aren&#39;t being used to go against the practice that has been in place for the last 50 years&quot; . Hyde first passed in 1976. It originally barred Medicaid, the health program for low-income Americans, from paying for most abortions except to save the woman&#39;s life or in cases of rape or incest .</p> <p>That matters because the fight over expired ACA subsidies and the fight over Hyde are now bound together. Some Democrats want to end Hyde&#39;s restrictions as part of any subsidy deal, and Senate Republicans have signaled they will keep them .</p> <h2>The state-by-state push</h2> <p>The states may be where change comes fastest. The memo says &quot;Nearly 24 million women live in states with new reproductive freedom trifectas&quot; . A trifecta means one party holds the governor&#39;s office and both chambers of the legislature. Democrats won six new trifectas and five new attorney general offices, according to a Mother Jones report .</p> <p>The memo&#39;s state list includes shield laws in Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Those laws protect doctors who provide abortions from out-of-state legal action. The list also includes telemedicine shield protections in Minnesota and Nevada, and new protections in Wisconsin . In Michigan, the group wants higher Medicaid payments for abortion care and an end to waiting periods and parental-involvement rules .</p> <p>In North Carolina, the memo says the results &quot;could open a path to an abortion ban repeal&quot; of the state&#39;s 12-week ban . It says North Carolina sent more than $10 million to anti-abortion centers in 2026 .</p> <p>Some leaders have already made promises. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro plans to make abortion a priority in the first 100 legislative days of the state&#39;s first Democratic trifecta in more than 30 years . Georgia Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms says she will work with legislative leaders to deal with the state&#39;s six-week ban . Wisconsin Gov.-elect David Crowley named a state constitutional right to abortion as a top priority .</p> <p>In Texas, Attorney General-elect Nathan Johnson has pledged to use his office to make sure health care providers &quot;aren&#39;t sued for mailing abortion pills,&quot; the memo says .</p> <h2>Who will carry the bill, and the pushback</h2> <p>According to LifeNews, an anti-abortion news site, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher of Texas will co-chair the House Reproductive Freedom Caucus in the next Congress, alongside Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts . The site says Democrats listed the Women&#39;s Health Protection Act and a bill to end the Hyde rule among their first-100-hours priorities .</p> <blockquote><p>We look forward to working with her to deliver meaningful action through our new House majority.</p><p>&mdash; Mini Timmaraju, president and CEO, Reproductive Freedom for All</p></blockquote> <p>Opponents are mobilizing. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the abortion-rights bill &quot;should be called the Abortion on Demand Until Birth Act&quot; . Abortion-rights groups reject that description of the bill.</p> <p>Since the Supreme Court&#39;s 2022 Dobbs decision ended the national right to abortion, 22 statewide ballot measures on abortion have been held, and the abortion-rights side has won 60% of the vote . Even so, the National Abortion Federation&#39;s leader warned that &quot;As long as Trump holds executive and veto powers, we have more work than celebrating to do&quot; .</p> <blockquote><p>As long as Trump holds executive and veto powers, we have more work than celebrating to do,</p><p>&mdash; Brittany Fonteno, president and CEO, National Abortion Federation</p></blockquote> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/abortion-rights-group-gives-new-democratic-majorities-a-to-do-list-but-trump-s-veto">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/abortion-rights-group-gives-new-democratic-majorities-a-to-do-list-but-trump-s-veto.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. Reproductive Freedom for All, “MEMO: Voters Delivered a Mandate on Abortion, Now Lawmakers Must Deliver” (2026-11-13). reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/memo-voters-delivered-a-m
2. NJ Today, “Abortion rights group urges new Democratic majorities to act on voter 'mandate'” (2026-11-14). njtoday.news/2026/11/14/abortion-rights-group-urges-new-demo
3. Reproductive Freedom for All, “Days After the Midterms, Democrats Are Committing to Bold Action on Reproductive Freedom Across the Country” (2026-11-06). reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/days-after-the-midterms-d
4. LifeNews, “Texas Congresswoman Will Lead Democrats' Plan for Abortions Up to Birth” (2026-11-12). lifenews.com/2026/11/12/texas-congresswoman-will-lead-democr
5. AP (via KSAT), “Trump tells Republicans to be 'flexible' on abortion restrictions to get a health care deal” (2026-01-06). ksat.com/health/2026/01/06/trump-tells-republicans-to-be-fle
6. Politixia (Mother Jones), “The Democratic Tsunami Is a "Sea Change" for Reproductive Rights” (2026-11-11). politixia.com/2026/11/11/the-democratic-tsunami-is-a-sea-cha
7. NBC News, “Alito says Supreme Court is caught between the president and a Congress that can 'turn off the lights'” (2026-11-13). nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/alito-trump-congress-emer

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