Three years have passed since the Dobbs decision, which returned the issue of abortion to the American public. The ruling corrected what some saw as judicial overreach, but it also highlighted a deeper cultural battle. Women have often faced a difficult choice between keeping their child and sacrificing their future or ending a pregnancy to preserve freedom. This situation is described as a crisis rather than true liberation.
Critics argue that the concept of “reproductive rights” masks an industry driven by fear and profit, offering women urgency instead of empowerment and isolation instead of care. They claim this is not healthcare but manipulation, suggesting women deserve better.
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) believes that when women are informed and supported with dignity, they tend to choose life. This belief underpins the HOPE Agenda, a policy framework aimed at ensuring life, liberty, and happiness for every woman and child. The agenda focuses on Health, Opportunity, Prosperity, and Empowerment.
Health involves continuous care before, during, and after birth. In 2023, medication abortions accounted for over 63% of clinician-provided abortions in states without bans. Critics argue this trend towards solitary pills lacks comprehensive healthcare oversight.
Opportunity emphasizes that no woman should choose between motherhood and her future. In 2023, more than 169,000 women traveled across state lines for abortions—double the number from three years earlier—highlighting a lack of local support.
Prosperity addresses financial desperation as a key driver for abortions. The Guttmacher Institute reports that 41% of abortion patients live below the poverty line. The HOPE Agenda advocates for policies like affordable childcare and housing stability.
Empowerment seeks to involve fathers, employers, and families more actively in supporting pregnant women. More than half of abortion patients are already mothers facing challenges alone.
Margo Nicholas from AFPI will brief Congress on the HOPE Agenda with a message: “We can’t legislate a woman’s choice, but we can legislate support that makes choosing life the best and most empowering option.”
The call is to replace panic with peace and propaganda with policy rooted in reality. Women deserve transparency about medical risks and comprehensive post-abortion care if needed.
The agenda also supports adoption as a respected option rather than an afterthought. Safeguards like parental consent are seen as protective measures within sensible policies.
Stacey Schieffelin chairs the America First Women’s Initiative at AFPI while Deven Wallace co-pastors Redemption to the Nations Church in Tennessee.
The second anniversary of Dobbs presents an opportunity to challenge lawmakers and citizens alike: reject false choices between women and children; build a nation where both thrive; lead with hope so every woman can be truly free; give every child a chance at life.
