Texas Republicans are apparently outraged by the administration’s recent reminder that under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, emergency rooms must screen, stabilize and treat patients at risk of death before transferring them to another facility. In the case of pregnancy complications (e.g., preeclampsia, premature rupture of the membranes), an emergency abortion may be recommended to prevent serious permanent injury or death. How could any public official who claims to be “pro-life” seek to impede such a lifesaving intervention?

As White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Thursday, “This is yet another example of an extreme and radical Republican elected official. It is unthinkable that this public official would sue to block women from receiving life-saving care in emergency rooms, a right protected under U.S. law.”

Perhaps “unthinkable” is the wrong word. Defenders of women’s fundamental right to access abortion have long argued that the forced-birth crowd is not “pro-life.” History and the experiences of other countries show that when abortion is restricted, maternal mortality increases. A truly “pro-life” politician would support birth control, prenatal care, Medicaid extension, child-care subsidies and other government initiatives. By and large, the right-wing abortion cops aren’t in favor of any of that.