By: Natalia E. Contreras

During the Texas Rally for Life in January, where thousands of abortion opponents gathered at the Capitol, Abbott told the crowd that he is prioritizing help for pregnant people in need.

He said Texas is providing $100 million for programs that can be alternatives to abortion to support expecting mothers in need.

In a statement Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Texas Alliance for Life said the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion gives the anti-abortion organization “reason to be hopeful.”

“We will continue to work to promote compassionate alternatives to abortion available to (women) through the state’s highly successful Alternatives to Abortion program, the Texas Healthy Women Program, and more,” the statement says.

By: Jacob Beltran , Guillermo Contreras , Staff writers

Amy O’Donnell, spokeswoman for Texas Alliance for Life, said Texas law does not allow for the prosecution of women who seek an abortion. Her organization also does not support prosecuting women who seek an abortion, she said.

However, if he’s saying he wouldn’t prosecute doctors who perform abortion, then we think it is highly improper for the DA to categorically fail to prosecute an entire class of offenses in that case,” O’Donnell said.

In last year’s legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill that would outlaw abortion in Texas 30 days after any potential U.S. Supreme Court decision overturns Roe v. Wade. The so-called “trigger bill,” signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott, would leave Texas doctors facing up to life in prison or $100,000 fines if they perform abortions, under the ban.

By: ASHLEY CLASTER

Dr. Joe Pojman is on the other side of the debate. Dr. Pojman is anti-abortion, but, like Cotter, believes men should speak their opinions.

“Everyone has seen these images of the unborn baby,” Dr. Pojman said. “I have been involved with this issue for more than three decades.”

Thirty-four years ago, he founded the Texas Alliance for Life with one primary goal.

“To protect unborn babies against the tragedy of abortion all the way to conception,” he said.

By: Sarah Duran

“Abortion is not health care. The body within a woman’s body is not that woman’s body. It’s basic biology,” said Amy O’Donnell of Texas Alliance for Life.

The non profit organization based in Austin was a supporter of the trigger law, which is known as the Human Life Protection Act. In the last budget cycle, the Texas State Legislature approved $100 million for the Alternatives to Abortion Program for the next two, a $20 million increase.

“That goes towards pregnancy health centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies that support women walking through unplanned pregnancies. It’s our goal to educate every woman across the state that they can choose life. They don’t have to walk through an unplanned pregnancy alone,” said O’Donnell.

O’Donnell said their is a ‘vast number’ of pregnancy centers across the state but predicts more will be created if Roe is overturned.

By: JESSIKA HARKAY AND JAMES HARTLEY

Amy O’Donnell, a spokesperson from Texas Alliance for Life, an abortion-opposing nonprofit — which has advocated toward “protecting life from conception to natural death using peaceful legal means,” since 1988 — echoed Chief Justice John Roberts’ sentiments calling the leaked document “an egregious breach of trust,” within the court, but also added that the organization is hopeful the decision will remain the same in upcoming weeks. “If this does go into law, we as an organization have been working towards this point for a long time. The anticipation that Roe v. Wade could be overturned, has been something that we have acknowledged and been aware of as a possibility,” said O’Donnell, the organization’s director of communications. “We have to trust as Chief Roberts asserted today that the work of the court will not be affected in any way by the leak. We trust our justices to continue to do business as usual and not be swayed by public opinion. At the same time, we recognize that the leaked draft is not the final and there are draft changes that occur as the drafts are circulated and votes can shift.” O’Donnell said the organization is moving forward with “cautious optimism,” as they await a final decision and that their mission will carry on as normal. “Our goal now, as always, is to educate women on the compassionate alternatives to abortion that are available in our state. Texas has allotted $100 million, which is an increase from the $80 million previously … to fund some of these compassionate alternatives to abortion,” O’Donnell said. “And those monies go towards organizations such as pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies who in various ways support women as they walk through unplanned pregnancies and consider their life options moving forward.”

By: Author: Tanvi Varma

AUSTIN, Texas — The leaked Supreme Court draft opinion showing a reversal of the right to abortion has people polarized.

The Texas Alliance for Life is an anti-abortion organization in Austin. Though the potential Supreme Court decision is in its favor, it’s not celebrating yet.

“I had to remind myself specifically that this is a draft, it’s an opinion; it’s not the final,” said Amy O’Donnell with the Texas Alliance for Life.

Meanwhile, they continue their advocacy.

“One of our top priorities right now, especially in light of what we’re seeing in the Supreme Court, is to educate women on the compassionate alternatives to abortion,” said O’Donnell.