Marshall marks Dobbs anniversary, backs funding restrictions
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall marked the third anniversary of the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision Tuesday by releasing a video statement praising the ruling that overturned federal abortion protections and calling for additional restrictions on abortion funding.
Marshall, a Republican physician, used the anniversary to highlight upcoming Senate legislation that would prohibit federal Medicaid funding for abortion providers receiving more than $800,000 in taxpayer dollars annually.
"The fight for life is never over," Marshall said in the video statement, describing the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision as allowing states to "stand up for their values and the defense of life."
The proposed reconciliation bill would represent what Marshall characterized as "the largest pro-life wins since the Dobbs decision." The legislation primarily targets Planned Parenthood, which Marshall's office said receives approximately $2 million daily in federal funding while performing roughly 400,000 abortions annually.
The Dobbs decision in June 2022 eliminated the constitutional right to abortion established in Roe v. Wade, allowing individual states to set their own abortion laws. The ruling has led to a patchwork of state policies, with some states banning most abortions and others maintaining broad access.
Kansas voters rejected a constitutional amendment in August 2022 that would have removed abortion protections from the state constitution, despite the state's conservative political leanings. The amendment's defeat by a 59% to 41% margin was seen as a significant victory for abortion rights advocates.
Marshall has been a consistent advocate for abortion restrictions throughout his Senate tenure, which began in 2021. He previously served as a congressman representing Kansas' 1st District.
The timing of the Senate vote on the reconciliation bill has not been specified. Such legislation typically requires only a simple majority to pass, rather than the 60-vote threshold needed for most Senate bills.
Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health organizations have disputed claims about their federal funding, noting that federal law already prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars for most abortion procedures under the Hyde Amendment.
The anniversary comes amid ongoing legal and political battles over abortion access in multiple states, with the issue expected to remain prominent in the 2026 midterm elections.
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