Josh Gottheimer promised an abortion protection bill. Eight months later, he hasn’t introduced it.

In April, Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer called a press conference in front of a Planned Parenthood office in northern New Jersey to announce new legislation designed to protect women.

Gottheimer, who was widely known to be planning a run for governor, said the bill was in response to a push by anti-abortion groups to use the 151-year-old Comstock Act to ban the mailing of mifepristone — a drug used to induce abortions and treat miscarriages.

“Let’s be clear: without access to safe and legal reproductive health care, women will die,” Gottheimer said at the time.

But eight months later, the congressmember, who formally launched his gubernatorial campaign last month, has still not introduced the legislation, the Protecting Personal, Private Medical Decisions Act. And the draft that his office provided to POLITICO is a non-binding resolution — an expression of sentiment that has no force of law.

Gottheimer’s office told POLITICO that the delay is due to the complexity of the court fights around abortion access.

“Josh has been working closely with legislative counsel on technical aspects of this legislation, and plans to introduce it when it’s fully ready,” Gottheimer Communications Director Zachary Florman said in a statement.

The fact that Gottheimer has yet to introduce the bill after publicly saying he has comes amid an intensifying gubernatorial race with six declared Democrats. He’s been a leader of moderates in Washington and, while it will be an advantage in a general election for governor, he’s coming up against more liberal Democrats and will need to appeal to a more progressive voting bloc.

It also comes as Gottheimer grapples with the fallout of a viral scandal over his publishing a fake screenshot purporting to be his Spotify “Wrapped” for 2024 — a summary of his most-listened to songs. His fabricated “Wrapped” showed his top five songs as hits from Bruce Springsteen. But his admission that it was faked led to widespread mockery.

Gottheimer — one of Congress’ most active stock traders — also promised in 2022 to put his assets in a blind trust. That has yet to happen, though Gottheimer’s office said they long ago submitted blind trust proposals to the House Ethics Committee, which they said has repeatedly delayed approving it.

Gottheimer touted his “introduction” of the abortion-related bill several times in fundraising emails and referred to his “new legislation to stand up for a woman’s right to choose — including protecting access” while promoting his upcoming appearances on social media.

“When I first ran for Congress, I ran against an anti-choice extremist with a promise to always defend reproductive freedom,” a Gottheimer gubernatorial campaign fundraising email from this month said. “I’ve introduced legislation like the Protecting Personal, Private Medical Decisions Act to condemn restrictions on reproductive health care.”

In a September voter guide on NJ Spotlight News, Gottheimer wrote: “I have introduced two pieces of legislation, the ‘Freedom to Decide Act’ and the ‘Protecting Personal, Private Medical Decisions Act,’ both of which protect access to Mifepristone and support telemedicine across state lines, so doctors can prescribe it wherever women are in need of care.”

The April 9 press conference in Hackensack attracted attention across the region, earning him coverage on most New York City television news stations. That helped him burnish his pro-abortion rights bona fides ahead of his expected run in the Democratic primary for governor.

“Josh has also helped introduce other legislation protecting Mifepristone, including the Freedom to Decide Act,” Florman said. “Because of what’s on the line for women’s health care, and the ongoing court battles, we want to make sure we get all choice-related legislation exactly right. We can never do enough to protect reproductive freedom, and Josh has a long record of standing with pro-choice groups to take on the radical right in defense of reproductive freedom.”

The “Freedom to Decide Act” — a concurrent resolution that would also be non-binding — was introduced by Gottheimer along with two other members on April 13.

Gottheimer does have a long record on other abortion issues, including a 2023 campaign to shut down anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy centers” that he alleges pose as legitimate health care centers. And he has co-sponsored dozens of bills and resolutions aimed at protecting or expanding access to abortion and reproductive care since taking office.

The push to protect mifepristone likely lost some urgency following the Supreme Court’s June decision to throw out a lawsuit seeking to roll back access to the drug, though the decision was procedural and did not address the merits of the case. Some pro-abortion rights advocates have expressed concerns that attempting to repeal parts of the Comstock Act could raise its profile and undermine the Biden administration’s legal argument that it’s unenforceable.

A spokesperson Planned Parenthood New Jersey did not respond to a phone call seeking comment.

Topics

Bills' Josh Allen ties Thurman Thomas' franchise rushing touchdown record in Week 17 vs. Jets

Allen is rubbing shoulders with a Hall of Fame running back
CBS Sports - 53m
Cowboys' Micah Parsons endorses this QB for NFL MVP, but it's not Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson

Joe Burrow, who leads the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns, has the third-best odds to win MVP
CBS Sports - 3h
Are Abortion Bans Across America Causing Deaths?

This is a MedPage Today story. This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive ...
ABC News - 23h
Abortions are up in the US. It's a complicated picture as women turn to pills, travel

Even with abortion bans in place in most Republican-controlled states, the number of people obtaining them has grown slightly
ABC News - 1d
An Unexpected Proposal, Then a First Date Days Later

When Cori Harris and Edgar Hayes met at a local supermarket checkout line, she thought he looked like a wizard from “The Lord of the Rings.” A mutual crush emerged.
The New York Times - 2d
In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families

Tennessee has nearly total abortion ban and a porous safety net for mothers and young children
ABC News - 2d
Biden signs anti-hazing bill

Politico - 4d
Four Years Later, CrossFit’s Disgraced Guru Attempts a Comeback

Greg Glassman, who sold the company amid sexual harassment complaints, has a new health and fitness venture. It sounds a lot like his old one.
The New York Times - Dec. 17
Top news headlines of 2024, month-by-month

From Boeing's turbulence and a catastrophic hurricane, to Donald Trump's election victory, "Sunday Morning" host Jane Pauley looks back at key events of a year that was monumental.
CBS News - 5h
In shift, Trump downgrades soaring rhetoric on campaign promises

President-elect Trump on the campaign trail made grandiose promises to voters to bring down costs quickly, to end the war in Ukraine before he even took office and to use tariffs to bolster the ...
The Hill - 8h
Revisiting the transfer recruitments of CFP's Elite Eight QBs: Where Will Howard, Quinn Ewers almost ended up

Some were locks from the start, but others took a bit more time to shake out.
CBS Sports - 1d
Alex Ovechkin goals tracker: The Great Eight 26 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894

We're tracking Alex Ovechkin's chase for Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record of 894.
Yahoo Sports - 1d
As dementia worsens, protect yourself from friends or family with bad intentions

Once cognitive issues grow severe, you’re at greater risk of coercion or elder abuse
MarketWatch - 1d
Bills' Josh Allen confirms that he broke his hand in Week 1 of his MVP-caliber season

The injury has not impacted Allen's effectiveness
CBS Sports - 1d
Tennessee to introduce a new lethal injection method

More than 2 years after Tennessee abruptly halted the execution of Oscar Smith, the state announced a new lethal injection method.
CBS News - 1d
Estonia navy to protect undersea power link after main cable damaged

Nato also says it will enhance its military presence in the Baltic after a ship was suspected of sabotaging the Estlink 2 cable.
BBC News - 2d
Why speech could be a target for the anti-abortion movement in 2025

The anti-abortion movement is looking at ways to control information about how and where to obtain abortions. The next front in the US abortion wars may be what people are allowed to say about ...
The Guardian - 2d
An Eight-Day Space Mission Turned Into Six Months. Astronauts Are Built Different.

Astronauts are made of different stuff from you and me.
The New York Times - 2d
NFL MVP odds: Bills' Josh Allen still favored over Lamar Jackson despite Ravens QB's big game vs. Texans

A look at where the NFL MVP odds stand
CBS Sports - 2d
Friday Briefing: How Israel Weakened Civilian Protections

Plus, video games can’t afford to look this good.
The New York Times - 2d
Cats can get sick with bird flu. Here's how to protect them

The death of an Oregon house cat from bird flu and a pet food recall are raising questions about how people can protect their pets
ABC News - 2d
'I had a life to live': Survivors recall tsunami 20 years later

It has been 20 years since the deadliest tsunami ever recorded, one that devastated communities around the Indian ocean and killed more than 200,000 people. NBC News' Janis Mackey Frayer spoke with ...
NBC News - 2d
Bills' Josh Allen has a great reaction to a Christmas gift from his offensive linemen

The o-line is getting a bit ahead of themselves
CBS Sports - 3d
NFL MVP odds still favor Josh Allen, but Lamar Jackson is closing the gap

The NFL MVP race might come down to the end of the season.
Yahoo Sports - 3d
‘A place to heal’: Native tribes urge Biden to protect sacred lands before leaving White House

Environmental groups are also petitioning Biden to protect Sáttítla, Kw’tsán and Chuckwalla in California. Hidden amid a vast expanse of snow-brushed pines in northern California is a rare, ...
The Guardian - 3d
Sporting sack Ruben Amorim’s replacement after just eight games

João Pereira sacked on Boxing Day after poor run Rui Borges takes over at Portuguese champions Sporting have appointed Rui Borges as head coach, after the Portuguese champions sacked João ...
The Guardian - 3d
The toy industry is bracing for the impact of Trump's promised tariffs

Toy stores and the toy industry are warning that Trump's pledge to add tariffs to Chinese imports could harm their businesses.
CBS News - 3d
Introducing the Most Dangerous Pass in Soccer

The risk and reward behind the pass that drives most fans wild, and some furious.
The New York Times - 4d
Jets' Aaron Rodgers downplays knee injury, says he's 'going to play' in Week 17 vs. Bills despite MCL issue

Rodgers added the knee 'feels pretty good' and that he's dealt with worse
CBS Sports - 4d
Nigel Bates returns to EastEnders 26 years later

The show's producer says the reason for Bates' mysterious return will be revealed "in the coming weeks".
BBC News - 4d
Revisiting ‘Knitting With Dog Hair’ 30 Years Later

“Knitting With Dog Hair,” a classic how-to book from the 1990s by Kendall Crolius, fueled a dedicated movement. An updated 30th anniversary edition was published this month.
The New York Times - 5d
Bill Clinton discharged from hospital

Former President Bill Clinton has been discharged from the hospital after being treated for the flu, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
ABC News - 5d
Marriott in pact to introduce Ritz-Carlton to Xiamen Island in Fujian Province

Yahoo News - 5d
Will Trump’s tariff threats protect the dollar’s dominance?

Brics nations’ plan to create rival to greenback is bound to fail even without president-elect’s measures. In 2023, the leaders of Brazil and the other Brics countries at the time – China, India, ...
The Guardian - 5d
Portfolio manager names Chinese and European stocks promising 'strong returns' despite market uncertainty

Pella Funds has been targeting firms in China and Europe that have executed well despite the political and economic turmoil in their markets.
CNBC - 5d
Brazil’s mysterious ‘man of the hole’ is dead. Should his land remain protected?

The death of Tanaru, the last member of an uncontacted group in the Amazon, raises questions about ethnic cleansing of Indigenous people, justice and the future of ancestral lands. Read more in ...
The Guardian - 5d
Bill Clinton admitted to hospital with fever

Former President Clinton was admitted to a Washington hospital Monday with a fever, his spokesperson said on social media. “President Clinton was admitted to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital ...
The Hill - 5d
Consumer protection board sues Walmart and fintech firm over gig-worker driver pay access

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is suing Walmart and a financial technology firm, alleging they illegally forced drivers into using costly deposit accounts to receive their pay.
NBC News - 5d
Former NFL great Michael Vick introduced as Norfolk State’s football coach

Michael Vick has been introduced as Norfolk State’s football coach, a homecoming for the former NFL star and a splashy, attention-grabbing hire for a program that has struggled in recent years
ABC News - 6d

More in Politics

Live updates: Gingrich, Lawler back Johnson, Kim has concerns about Patel, Hegseth

President-elect Trump's administration has promised a fresh approach to internet bans, government spending, border security, and immigration policies, warranting each topic to be a top spot on the ...
The Hill - 39m
Transcript: Philanthropist and author David Rubenstein on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 29, 2024

The following is the full transcript of an interview with David Rubenstein, philanthropist and author, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Dec. 29, 2024.
CBS News - 1h
Cardin: Trump's Panama comments affect 'America's credibility globally'

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), outgoing chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on Sunday that President-elect Trump’s remarks about Panama have larger consequences on America’s credibility ...
The Hill - 2h
Schmitt on H-1B program: 'American workers have been left behind by this economy'

Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt (Mo.) said that U.S. workers "have been left behind by this economy" during a discussion on "Fox News Sunday" about the H-1B work visa, a key program to attract ...
The Hill - 2h
Karoline Leavitt set to take reins as youngest ever White House press secretary

Karoline Leavitt is weeks away from stepping into her highest-profile position: press secretary for President Trump’s White House. Leavitt, 27, will be the youngest person to ever hold the ...
The Hill - 2h

}