{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.enzi.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=8DF2ED13-7970-4A12-A253-7BD8BACB58E4", "Enzi asks health secretary to stop Obamacares abortion coverage expansion", "2018-09-12", "2018", "2018-09", "Republican", "House", "WY", "Michael Enzi", "E000285", "www.enzi.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., joined U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., in writing U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to request the Administration take additional steps to mitigate Obamacare's unprecedented expansion of abortion coverage. The letter was signed by 17 other U.S. senators.\r\nThe senators criticized Obama-era regulations that failed to enforce Section 1303 of Obamacare, which requires that insurers that choose to offer abortion coverage collect a separate payment for that coverage, to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not used for these purposes. The law provides an exemption for abortions in the case of rape, incest or where a physical condition endangers a woman's life.\r\nThe senators wrote in part, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) should issue new regulations aligning with legislative intent that insurance companies comply with and collect the abortion surcharge separately. Faithfully applying the law as written through new regulations will improve consumer awareness of the abortion surcharge.\r\nThey went on to say, As long as Section 1303 is implemented through current Obama-era regulations, its enforcement will remain sorely deficient.\r\nThe letter was signed by U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., Roy Blunt, R-Mo., John Cornyn, R-Texas, Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Steve Daines, R-Mont., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Deb Fischer, R-Neb., John Hoeven, R-N.D., James Inhofe, R-Okla., Jerry Moran, R-Kan., James Risch, R-Idaho, Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Mike Rounds, R-S.D., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., John Thune, R-S.D., and Todd Young, R-Ind.\r\nClick here for a PDF copy of the full letter.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.enzi.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=8DF2ED13-7970-4A12-A253-7BD8BACB58E4"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.210337970405817, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}