From President Trump’s Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche’s attacks on mifepristone to the SAVE Act to what happens when you ban trans girls in sports, here’s what the NCJW team is reading the week of July 27th, 2026.

President Trump’s AG nominee signals willingness to restrict medication abortion access

In his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche spread misinformation about medication abortion and considered expanding restrictions on medication abortion access by mail, reports MS Magazine. 

The Comstock Act, passed in 1873, made it illegal to send “abortion-causing articles” though the mail. Under the Biden administration, the DOJ issued a legal opinion stating the Comstock Act does not prohibit sending abortion medications through the mail. When pressed by Sen. Ted Cruz, Blanche agreed to reconsider the current Department of Justice interpretation of the Comstock Act. This would have major detrimental impacts on abortion access and patient privacy. 

This wasn’t the only swipe Blanche took at reproductive health care access in his hearing. Read more from MS Magazine. 

Here’s what you can do: Call Congress and tell them to vote NO on Todd Blanche for Attorney General.

The House forced the SAVE Act through. Now, all eyes are on what the Senate will do

Last week, the House forced through the SAVE Act by attaching it to other legislation already moving through Congress. Now, President Trump and anti-voting rights lawmakers are putting pressure on the Senate to do whatever they deem necessary to pass the SAVE Act and gut our voting rights, reports USA Today. 

As a reminder, the SAVE Act would make it harder for MILLIONS of people to register and vote. You’d need to provide proof of citizenship to vote — which isn’t something most of us walk around with every day. 

Your driver’s license wouldn’t cut it. You’d need to show an extra form of ID that proves your citizenship — like a birth certificate or a passport — just to register to vote. If this passes, it could cost over a hundred dollars just to make sure you have the “right” documents to cast your ballot.

Here’s what you can do: Call your senators and tell them to stop the SAVE Act.

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to help them restrict mail-in voting

In March, President Trump signed an executive order trying to limit mail-in voting and allow the executive branch to take control of key election functions — a power that constitutionally belongs to Congress and to states. After losing in court, the Trump administration is now asking the Supreme Court to intervene, reports the New York Times. 

Judge Indira Talwani, a federal district judge in Massachusetts who ruled against the administration in June, concluded that “the Constitution does not grant the President any specific powers over elections.”

A three-judge panel who also considered the challenge warned that if this executive order were to be implemented, it would “sow confusion and threaten disenfranchisement of many eligible voters.” 

Here’s what you can do: We need to protect our right to vote. Tell Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA) now!

Ballot initiatives targeting trans girls in sports will harm all girls in sports

In Washington, a ballot initiative designed to bar transgender girls from playing school sports will force all girls to “verify” their identity — which could include invasive physical exams, reports The 19th. 

“At the end of the day, we’re just a team trying to play together, and we’re just a group of girls supporting each other and hanging out on and off the field,” said Bella, a high school senior in Washington who’s worried about her trans teammates. 

Under Washington’s proposal, every girl in kindergarten through 12th grade would have to have their sex assigned at birth verified by a doctor — through genetic tests, hormone tests, or a physical examination of her reproductive anatomy. Opponents warn that this extreme measure puts all girls at risk. 

Here’s what you can do: We deserve lawmakers who will protect our families, our friends, and our communities — including our trans community members. Pledge to vote this November to make sure we have lawmakers that will work for all of us.