\n\n“Under the modern understanding of the Constitution, a federal law regulating abortion \u2014 like other federal regulation of health providers \u2014 is unambiguously constitutional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Congress\u2019s power to regulate is broad but not unlimited. The Constitution lays out a list of powers<\/a> that Congress is allowed to exercise, such as the power to raise armies or the power to establish post offices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of these powers is the ability to enact legislation enforcing rights protected by the 14th Amendment<\/a>. Both Roe<\/em><\/a> and Casey<\/em><\/a> rooted the right to an abortion in this amendment\u2019s guarantee that no one may be denied \u201cliberty\u201d without due process of law. So, as long as Roe<\/em> and Casey<\/em> remain good law, Congress may enact laws protecting abortion rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, of course, the whole reason Democrats want to pass the WHPA is because Roe <\/em>and Casey<\/em> are under threat. So Congress cannot realistically rely on its power to enforce the 14th Amendment if it wants to sustain legislation protecting abortion. The Supreme Court is likely to change its understanding of which rights are protected by the 14th Amendment very soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternatively, the WHPA could also be sustained under Congress\u2019s broad power to regulate the national economy. This power derives from two provisions of the Constitution, which permit Congress to \u201cregulate commerce … among the several states<\/a>,\u201d and to \u201cmake all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution\u201d this power to regulate commerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the Supreme Court explained in Gonzales v. Raich<\/em><\/a> (2005), Congress may use its power over national commerce to regulate any \u201ceconomic \u2018class of activities\u2019 that have a substantial effect on interstate commerce.\u201d The Court\u2019s decisions permit federal laws regulating landlords<\/a>, family farmers<\/a>, and other businesses and professionals that primarily serve local consumers. They permit federal regulation of abortion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Abortion is a medical procedure that is provided by professionals, who typically charge a fee. Some of these doctors travel across state lines to provide this service. They are trained at medical schools all over the country, perform their services in clinics funded by donors from other states, use medical equipment manufactured in other states \u2014 <\/strong>you get the idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Abortion, in other words, is an economic activity that has a substantial effect on interstate commerce. So, under Raich<\/em>, Congress could pass a law protecting abortion rights<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n