Abortion in Trump's America

Summary

What a Day Podcast Summary: "Abortion in Trump's America" (December 19, 2024)

Host: Jane Coaston | Guest: Mary Ziegler, Professor at UC Davis School of Law

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1. Introduction and Overview

[00:02]
Jane Coaston opens the episode by highlighting significant news topics, including President Donald Trump's efforts to disrupt government funding and the impending release of the House Ethics Committee report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz. The primary focus, however, centers on the evolving landscape of abortion laws and policies in America, especially in the context of Trump's political resurgence.

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2. South Carolina's Planned Parenthood Funding Case

[00:54]
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case originating from South Carolina that, while not directly about abortion, significantly impacts it. South Carolina seeks to defund Planned Parenthood by cutting Medicaid funding for its healthcare services, including mammograms, birth control, and STD testing.

[02:15]
Mary Ziegler explains that the case revolves around Medicaid rules and the right of recipients to choose their healthcare providers. The state aims to deny funding to organizations like Planned Parenthood by targeting the non-abortion services they provide. However, Planned Parenthood argues that Medicaid statutes ensure patients have the right to select their providers, a point that lower courts have contested, leading the Supreme Court to intervene.

Notable Quote:
"Pro-life states like South Carolina should be free to determine that Planned Parenthood and other entities that peddle abortion are not qualified to receive taxpayer funding through Medicaid." — Attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom [02:30]

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3. Texas Lawsuit Against Abortion Pill Mailing Doctor

[03:07]
Jane Coaston brings attention to a lawsuit filed by Texas against a New York doctor who has been mailing abortion medication to individuals in states where such practices are banned. This case raises questions about interstate commerce and the ability of blue states to protect their residents from legal actions stemming from out-of-state providers.

[03:19]
Mary Ziegler highlights the lawsuit's significance as it challenges the protections blue states offer to their residents, especially when those residents seek reproductive care from out-of-state providers. Texas argues for the applicability of its laws to the doctor, potentially setting a precedent for similar interstate conflicts.

Notable Quote:
"This is the first real test we've seen of an interstate conflict of this kind come to fruition." — Mary Ziegler [03:25]

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4. Legal Landscape of Abortion in the Lead-Up to Trump's Potential Second Term

[04:06]
Discussing the broader implications, Mary Ziegler outlines a fragmented legal landscape regarding abortion. While numerous states have enshrined reproductive rights into their constitutions, others have implemented new bans, leading to a complex patchwork of laws that either expand or restrict access.

[05:00]
Ziegler emphasizes the uncertainty surrounding Trump's potential second term, noting that his administration could bring national-level restrictions that override state initiatives. This could involve executive actions or congressional bans that would significantly alter the current state-by-state approach.

Notable Quote:
"Whatever's happening now may or may not change pretty profoundly when Donald Trump takes office." — Mary Ziegler [05:10]

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5. Impact of Trump's Judicial Appointments on Abortion Access

[07:40]
Mary Ziegler predicts that a second Trump term would likely result in the appointment of federal judges who are more conservative and aligned with the Dobbs decision, potentially leading to further restrictions on reproductive rights. Additionally, there are plans to revive the Comstock Act to limit access to abortion-related medications and paraphernalia.

Notable Quote:
"Trump is going to nominate people to the federal bench and probably to the US Supreme Court who are at least as conservative as the current justices are on reproductive issues and probably more conservative." — Mary Ziegler [07:45]

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6. Shifts in Public Opinion on Abortion Amid Increased Restrictions

[09:02]
Contrary to the tightening restrictions, polling indicates that Americans are increasingly pro-choice as more states impose abortion limits. Mary Ziegler suggests that Republicans may mistakenly believe they have a stronger mandate on abortion rights than they actually do, potentially leading to greater backlash if restrictions continue to impede access.

[09:21]
Ziegler warns that as more people personally experience restrictions, the public backlash could intensify, challenging Republican strategies and forcing a reevaluation of their approach to abortion legislation.

Notable Quote:
"If that starts to change, I think the backlash will be much greater." — Mary Ziegler [09:25]

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7. Current Political Developments and Their Implications

a. House Republicans and the Government Shutdown Threat

[10:34] – [15:06]
Jane Coaston transitions to broader political news, discussing House Republicans' decision to reject a bipartisan spending bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown. Influential figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump publicly opposed the bill, signaling potential chaos in government funding mechanisms.

[14:45]
In contrast, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) successfully passed, despite some Democratic reservations over provisions like the removal of gender-affirming care for military dependents. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed satisfaction with the bill's passage, highlighting its defense and technological advancements.

Notable Quote:
"At least Congress is passing something." — Jane Coaston [15:00]

b. Release of House Ethics Committee Report on Matt Gaetz

[15:06] – [16:16]
The House Ethics Committee voted to release its investigative report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz, detailing allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use. Gaetz denied the claims on Twitter, attributing his past behavior to youthful indiscretions and asserting he has since reformed. Mary Ziegler characterizes the move as a "revenge tour," though Gaetz appears unfazed and continues his political career.

Notable Quote:
"It's a revenge tour. And they're not winning because Matt's already." — Mary Ziegler [16:05]

c. California's Bird Flu Emergency and Mystery Drones

[16:16] – [18:28]
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in response to bird flu detected in dairy cows and a severe human case linked to backyard flocks. Concurrently, reports of mysterious drones in the Northeast have stirred public concern, though President Joe Biden dismissed them as "nothing nefarious." The Senate blocked a bill to empower law enforcement to track these drones, citing civil liberties concerns.

Notable Quote:
"Whatever is going on here seems super normal and I for one, will not be worrying about it at all." — Chuck Schumer [18:23]

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8. Paris Hilton's Advocacy Against the Troubled Teens Industry

[18:28] – [21:57]
Jane Coaston shifts focus to Paris Hilton's revelations about the "Troubled Teens Industry," which encompasses residential facilities and therapeutic boarding schools often marked by abuse and lack of oversight. Hilton shared her traumatic experiences at Provo Canyon School in Utah, where she endured physical and sexual abuse.

[20:20]
Hilton has been actively lobbying for greater oversight of youth residential programs, culminating in the House passing the Stop Institutionalized Child Abuse Act. This legislation mandates the creation of a federal workgroup to develop recommendations for improving care in such facilities.

Notable Quote:
"These programs promised healing, growth and support, but instead did not allow me to speak, move freely, or even look out a window for two years." — Paris Hilton [20:20]

[21:46]
Hilton expressed profound satisfaction with the bill's passage, deeming it the most meaningful work of her life and a significant victory for protecting vulnerable youth.

Notable Quote:
"I never felt prouder in my life. This has been the most meaningful work of my life, and it's just been so emotional just to hear that our bill has passed." — Paris Hilton [21:46]

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9. Conclusion and Final Remarks

[21:57]
Jane Coaston wraps up the episode by emphasizing the importance of peaceful political transitions and the upcoming presidential inauguration. She also promotes exclusive content and encourages listeners to subscribe, review, and engage with the podcast.

Final Note: The episode provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of abortion laws in America, the potential impact of Trump's return to the White House on reproductive rights, and broader political developments that influence these dynamics. Additionally, it highlights significant advocacy efforts by public figures like Paris Hilton to address systemic issues within youth treatment facilities.

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Notable Contributors:

• Mary Ziegler: Professor at UC Davis School of Law, expert on abortion history and politics.
• Paris Hilton: Advocate against the Troubled Teens Industry, survivor of abusive therapeutic boarding schools.

Produced by: Crooked Media
Recorded and Mixed by: Desmond Taylor
Executive Producer: Adrienne Hill
Theme Music: Colin Gilliard and Kashaka

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For more insights and detailed discussions, subscribe to "What a Day" on your favorite podcast platform or via YouTube.

Transcript

[Jane Coastin]

It's Thursday, December 19th. I'm Jane Coastin and this is Whataday, the show that is pleased to announce that America is finally free of the murder hornets, an extremely rare W over the insects for those of us in the human race. On today's show, Trump blows up a bill to fund the government. And it looks like we'll get to see that House Ethics Committee report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz after all. Let's get into it. The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a case out of South Carolina. It's not directly about abortion, but it's also definitely about abortion. South Carolina is trying to defund Planned Parenthood and it wants to do that by cutting off Medicaid funding for all of Planned Parenthood's healthcare services. Things like mammograms, birth control, STD testing, you know, healthcare. Some things to note here. South Carolina has already banned most abortions and Medicaid has for decades been barred from paying for them except in cases of rape, incest, or when someone's life is at risk. But this case is still about abortion. An attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom, the conservative group representing South Carolina, said as much in a statement. He said pro life states like South Carolina should be free to determine that Planned Parenthood and other entities that peddle abortion are not qualified to receive taxpayer funding through Medicaid. So here we are again with the very conservative Supreme Court set to hear another case that could affect how and where people get their reproductive care. It's not going to stop with President elect Donald Trump heading back to the White House. He'll almost certainly appoint more federal judges that are sympathetic to these cases and that will embolden conservative lawmakers to take more legal risks to limit access to reproductive care. For more on the state of abortion as we head into a second Trump term, I spoke with Mary Ziegler. She's a professor at UC Davis School of Law and she's an expert on the history and politics of abortion in the U.S. mary, welcome to what a Day.

[Mary Ziegler]

Thanks for having me.

[Jane Coastin]

So let's start with this South Carolina case that aims to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood. The case is actually about the kinds of non abortion services Planned Parenthood provides. Can you tell us a little bit about what the justices will be deciding here?

[Mary Ziegler]

Yeah. So this is about Medicaid rules and whether Medicaid recipients have a right to choose their provider. The backstory of this case begins a long time ago, when Roe v. Wade was still around and states like South Carolina were primarily trying to defund Planned Parenthood. So the idea was to deny not just Planned Parenthood, but other organizations that combined services like family planning or breast cancer screening with abortion services to deny them Medicaid funding and family planning funding under state law. And those clinics fired back, saying, Medicaid doesn't allow you to do that because the Medicaid statute says you have a right to pick your provider. And the lower courts, the circuit courts of appeal, which are the next step down from the U.S. supreme Court, have disagreed about that in the years since. And that's what the Supreme Court is going to resolve.

[Jane Coastin]

Also this week, Texas filed a lawsuit against a New York doctor who's been mailing abortion medication to people in states where it's banned. What's the significance of this suit? Because it seems like a interstate commerce issue.

[Mary Ziegler]

Yeah, it's a big deal because it's a challenge to whether blue states and other states that have protections for reproductive rights can protect their own residents from either civil suits or prosecutions from out of state when they help patients from out of state. So Texas is going after a doctor who's mailing pills into Texas and claiming, you know, one, that she can be brought into Texas court, two, that Texas law, not New York law, should apply to the case, and three, that if Texas wins in Texas court, that New York should have to go after this doctor to actually get her to pay up. And this is the first real test we've seen of an. An interstate conflict of this kind come to fruition.

[Jane Coastin]

How worried should we be about this case?

[Mary Ziegler]

Worried, right. I mean, these are not real questions that have easy answers. There's a part of our Constitution called the Full Faith and Credit clause that says by and large, one state's courts have to honor judgments from another state's courts just for coordination and reciprocity. It kind of makes sense. Right. But there are exceptions to that principle for what are called penal judgments. Right. So one state doesn't have to punish people on behalf of another state. And I think New York is going to say that's exactly what this is. This is not a prototypical lawsuit where somebody is mad at somebody else. This is the state of Texas trying to carry out policy. And that's not something that we have to do under the full faith and credit clause, but that's going to go to the Supreme Court. And the Supreme Court, as you know, is very conservative, and in this case would be operating in a pretty big legal gray area.

[Jane Coastin]

As we close out 2024, what does the legal landscape for abortion look like? And how has it changed in the last year?

[Mary Ziegler]

It's still kind of a hodgepodge. There are protections on the books in a greater number of states. There were 7 out of 10 states considering ballot initiatives this year that wrote reproductive rights into their constit, including a handful of places that had restricted or banned abortion altogether, like Missouri and Arizona. We've also seen since the start of 2024 other state bans come into effect for the first time in places like Florida. So it's kind of a mixed bag in terms of whether access has expanded or contracted. And of course, whatever's happening now may or may not change pretty profoundly when Donald Trump takes office. Because if Trump does decide to either use executive power or if Congress decides to pass a ban, if there's some sort of national level restriction, that would take precedence over whatever states have done and whatever voters have done through direct democracy, or at least there will be a strong argument made in that vein.

[Jane Coastin]

I think a lot of Democrats, I mean, I know I thought that abortion would be a major motivator for voters, especially women voters, that could help secure a win for Vice President Kamala Harris. I know losses have many fathers. It can happen. But why do you think that didn't work?

[Mary Ziegler]

I mean, I think, like you said, it was a combination of things. I think voters were prioritizing, you know, inflation or the economy. But I think it was also a combination of the fact that Donald Trump convinced voters that he wasn't going to do anything to limit access to abortion or IVF or other services at the national level. And so I think voters felt they could split their votes, for example, between a ballot initiative for reproductive rights and Donald Trump. And so the interesting question, I guess, is one, what Democrats do with that? Did they sort of look at this and say, well, abortion isn't a great issue for us, so we're going to go back to not talking about it. Do they wait and see what happens in the new year when there's going to be like an onslaught of weird lawsuits like the ones we're already seeing and see how voters react if their lives are impacted? And I think it's definitely too soon to say abortion wasn't the issue. Kamala Harris thought it was. I don't know if Kamal Harris messaged it the way she needed to. And I think Donald Trump did a good job messaging it. I don't know if he can control reality in a way that will make this state's rights argument resonant for much longer.

[Jane Coastin]

Yeah. You know, talking about Trump, we've seen the effect his judicial picks have had on access to abortion. Hello, Dobbs. What could four more years of Trump mean?

[Mary Ziegler]

Well, at a minimum, it's gonna mean a lot more judges who are gonna do a lot more things like Dobbs. There's no, no question that Trump is going to nominate people to the federal bench and probably to the US Supreme Court who are at least as conservative as the current justices are on reproductive issues and probably more conservative. What else the Trump administration does is I think, more ambiguous because there are plans by anti abortion groups for Trump, for example, to resurrect the Comstock act, which is a 19th century obscenity law, and to kind of turn it into an abortion ban that it was never understood to be, to use it to restrict the mailing not just of abortion pills, but abortion related paraphernalia. That could happen under a Trump Justice Department. There are plans for FDA to, under a Trump administration, limit telehealth access to abortion pills, or even a secretary of HHS limiting access to telehealth. Without FDA going along, it's a little less clear how much of that is going to be a priority for Trump. We really won't know how much of his campaign messaging about states rights is real until the moment arrives. So I think we won't really know if it's going to come just from the courts or the courts and the executive, or even the courts, the executive and Congress until 2025 rolls around.

[Jane Coastin]

I think something that's been interesting to see is how as abortion restrictions have increased in a number of states, Americans are more likely to be pro choice. Like that's what the polling shows. So where do you see the abortion debate heading in the next few years? Because clearly it's not going to go away.

[Mary Ziegler]

Yeah, I mean, I think that there's a real risk that Republicans think they have a mandate on abortion rights that they don't really have. Because as much as people have been upset about Dobbs, they've also operated in a world where there were ways around Dobbs, particularly for people with resources. Right. Like you could travel out of state, you could order pills online. Of course, those options were not available for people experiencing pregnancy complications in red states. They weren't available to people without resources. But for a lot of people, they just really weren't living in a reality that entirely felt like Roe was gone in the way it did for a lot of other people. And if that starts to change, I think the backlash will be much greater. There'll be many more people experiencing it. So I think the question is whether Republicans kind of read the room and don't push that far, and whether state level Republicans who don't have to read the room in the same way because they have absolute political security, don't care about throwing people in congressional races potentially under the bus by pursuing things that would be unpopular.

[Jane Coastin]

Mary, thank you so much for joining me.

[Mary Ziegler]

Thanks for having me.

[Jane Coastin]

That was my conversation with Mary Ziegler. She's a professor at UC Davis School of Law. We'll get to more of the news in a moment, but if you like the show, make sure to subscribe. Leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads why today is brought to you by Aura Frames Isn't it funny how the people we love the most are often the hardest to shop for? Luckily, there's one gift that everyone on your list is sure to enjoy. An Aura Digital Picture Frame. Wirecutter called it the best digital photo frame. I took so many pictures this year. Thousands of pictures. Some pictures I absolutely want to share with my family and friends, and Aura Frames are the absolute best way to do that. Save on the perfect gift by visiting auraframes.com to get $35 off Aura's best selling Carver Matte frames by using promo code WAD at checkout. That's a U R A frames.com, promo code WADE. Terms and conditions apply. Water Day is brought to you by the Zero Emission Transportation Association Education Fund. The Zeta Education Fund wants Americans to know about the positive economic impact the EV and battery supply chain is having on our communities. Like how it's already created 240,000 jobs and attracted $177 billion of investment. More than a million EVs were sold in the US last year and there are currently over 200,000 public charging locations in the United States. Join forces with the Zeta Education Fund and help spread the facts about what a transition to EVs means for the future of America. Get on board@zeta zeta.org join Waterday is brought to you by Rocket Money. Thanks to Rocket Money, your financial goals can feel achievable this new year. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so you can grow your savings. Rocket Money has over 5 million users and has saved a total of $500 million in canceled subscriptions, saving members up to $740 a year when using all of the app's premium features cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Go to RocketMoney.com WhatADay today. That's RocketMoney.com WhatADay and now the news Head of lines. House Republicans have now unilaterally decided to break a bipartisan agreement that they made. House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government and hurt everyday Americans all across this country. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed his disappointment in House Republicans after they torpedoed a spending bill to prevent a government shutdown. Why did they torpedo it? Because Trump says he hates it. House Majority Leader Mike Johnson unveiled a bipartisan continuing resolution to keep the government funded on Tuesday, and for a second it looked like it was going to pass. But early Wednesday morning, Elon Musk threatened Congress, tweeting, any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in two years. His sentiments were echoed shortly thereafter by President Elect and soon to be poster in chief Donald Trump and vice president elect J.D. vance. They released a joint statement essentially calling for a government shutdown. Trump also wrote on Truth Social, quote, any Republican that would be so stupid as to do this should and will be primaried. Congress has until Friday night to pass a funding package and avoid a shutdown. One bill that did pass Wednesday was the National Defense Authorization Act. The defense funding bill passed despite the Democrats disappointment with the inclusion of an amendment that takes away coverage for gender affirming care for children of military members. The bill gives pay raises to junior enlisted service members and increases military spending to $895 billion. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said overall he's happy with the bill.

[Chuck Schumer]

Everyone knows this NDAA is not perfect, but it still takes a strong stand against the Chinese Communist Party. These are things that I've pushed very hard for.

[Jane Coastin]

It boosts the use of AI for our national defense, another thing I care.

[Chuck Schumer]

A lot about, and expands tech innovation programs for communities across the country.

[Jane Coastin]

At least Congress is passing something. In a stunning reversal, the House Ethics Committee voted to release its investigative report on former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz. The report details the committee's findings regarding Gaetz's alleged sexual misconduct, drug use and other questionable behavior during his time in office. The panel initially voted to keep the report private in November, when Gaetz was still in the running to be President Elect Donald Trump's Attorney general. But the Ethics Committee voted on the issue again behind closed doors earlier this month. Gaetz responded to the news on Twitter on Wednesday. He denied the claims made against him, saying quote, it's embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now. House Republican colleagues also rushed to defend Gates on the Hill. Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee downplayed the report's significance on cnn. So you think this is revenge?

[Mary Ziegler]

It's a revenge tour. And they're not winning because Matt's already.

[Jane Coastin]

Got a new job and he's doing well and he's married to a beautiful woman.

[Mary Ziegler]

So it was wonderful and I wish him well.

[Jane Coastin]

He's married to a beautiful woman now, so it's okay. The report on Gaetz is expected to be released after this Congress adjourns this week. And a reminder, if you get up to alleged nonsense in your 30s, it still counts. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday to expedite the state's preparedness and response to bird flu. Newsom's emergency declaration follows the detection of bird flu in dairy cows in Southern California. The company there issued recalls in November after the virus was found in samples of its raw milk. In related news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday a person in Louisiana was hospitalized with a severe case of the H5N1 virus. However, this case was linked to a backyard flock, which means it was not transmitted by commercial poultry or dairy cows. The CDC said it's the first instance of severe illness linked to the virus in the US more than 60 human cases of bird flu have been reported in the US Since April, with over half in California. But the CDC says there has not been any person to person spread the story about hundreds of mystery drones, maybe in the Northeast that nobody knows anything about. Just keeps getting weirder. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden addressed the phenomenon for the first time, telling reporters the drones are, quote, nothing nefarious, apparently. Also on Wednesday, the Senate blocked a bill that would have allowed local law enforcement to track the drones and give federal agencies the ability to address drone activity. But in order to rush the bill through before Congress is off for the holidays, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer needed a unanimous vote and Kentucky Republican Rand Paul objected, saying the bill infringed on civil liberties. Members of the House Intelligence Committee were given a closed door briefing about the drones on Tuesday and quickly joined the White House in trying to reassure the public. At a Pentagon press briefing Wednesday, a reporter asked press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder why the House intelligence briefing was classified.

[Chuck Schumer]

I don't have the the briefing in front of me, so I can't tell.

[Jane Coastin]

You specifically, you know, what aspects are classified or not. I can assure you, though, that again.

[Chuck Schumer]

We are sharing as much, much information as we can based on what we know.

[Jane Coastin]

Whatever is going on here seems super normal and I for one, will not be worrying about it at all. And that's one more thing. You know who Paris Hilton is. She's been a cultural icon since the early 2000s with TV shows, fragrances, a music career, and even a catchphrase that was kind of unavoidable if you were watching TV in 2003.

[Paris Hilton]

That's hot, that's hot, that's hot, that's hot, that's hot, that's hot, that's hot, that's hot, that's hot, that's hot, that's.

[Jane Coastin]

Hot, that's hot, that's hot. But she is also a survivor of an industry many people have never heard of, the so called Troubled Teens industry. Encompassing more than a thousand residential facilities, therapeutic boarding schools, and wilderness therapy programs with little to no oversight, the Troubled Teens Industry, or tti, is where thousands of kids are being sent every year, generally against their will. They include people living with severe mental illness, kids who may be acting out at school or at home, kids who happen to be LGBT and living in an unaccepting family, or kids like Paris whose parents think they're partying too much. Here's Paris talking to the New York Times about the day she was taken to one of these facilities.

[Paris Hilton]

When I was 16 years old, two large men came into my room holding handcuffs and asked me if I wanted to go the easy way or the hard way. They took me to a place called a therapeutic boarding school.

[Jane Coastin]

Hilton was sent to the Provo Canyon School in Provo, Utah, for 11 months. There, she says, she endured physical and sexual abuse from staff members and was placed in solitary confinement when the facility learned she wanted to run away. She testified about her experiences before the House Ways and Means Committee in June of this year.

[Paris Hilton]

These programs promised healing, growth and support, but instead did not allow me to speak, move freely, or even look out a window for two years.

[Jane Coastin]

She wasn't alone. Since its beginnings in the early 1970s, the troubled teen industry has been rife with abuse and neglected. According to the New York Times, employees at these facilities receive minimal training and there is markedly little oversight from state and federal authorities. According to the Government Accountability Office, 49 states reported in 2006 that they'd investigated allegations of abuse and neglect in these facilities. For those of you keeping score at home, that's almost all the states Hilton didn't speak out about her experiences for years. It wasn't until 2020, when she released a documentary about her life entitled this Is Paris, that she decided to talk about the troubled teen industry. And she did more. She started lobbying members of Congress to push for more oversight of youth treatment Centers. Starting in October 2021, she traveled to D.C. every six to 10 months, meeting with a bipartisan list of lawmakers to talk about youth residential facilities and her own story. And on Wednesday, the House passed the Stop Institutionalized Child Abuse act, which will require the creation of a federal work group on youth residential programs that will create recommendations to improve care at facilities like Provo Canyon. The bill passed the Senate last week and will head to President Biden's desk for signature. In an interview with ABC News, Hilton said that the bill's passage was a milestone for her.

[Paris Hilton]

I never felt prouder in my life. This has been the most meaningful work of my life, and it's just been so emotional just to hear that our bill has passed.

[Jane Coastin]

Congratulations, Paris Hilton. Helping vulnerable kids is actually incredibly hot before we go with the inauguration coming up, it's time to see how presidents peacefully transition power, and not by inciting an insurrection. On the newest Subscriber exclusive episode of Inside 2024, Dan Pfeiffer and Alyssa Mastromonico break down the latest from President Elect Trump's transition committee and reflect on their experiences as new staffers in the 2008 Obama White House. To get access to this series, head to crooked.com friendsnow that's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, leave a review, answer my questions about the Murder Hornets and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about how we actually know the Murder Hornets are gone, maybe they're hiding and plotting. Always plotting, plotting for their eventual return. For more Murder Like Me, what a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Jane Kostin and can someone just double check on the Murder Hornets for me? What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producer is Raven Yamamoto. Our producer is Michelle Eloy. We have production help today from Tyler Hill, Johanna Case, Joseph Dutra, Greg Walters, and Julia Claire. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our executive producer is Adrienne Hill. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka.

[Chuck Schumer]

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[Mary Ziegler]

Finally, I am in control.

[Chuck Schumer]

And critics agree it's a towering tour de force performance from Angelina Jolie and.

[Jane Coastin]

A career best My life is opera.

[Mary Ziegler]

There is no reason in Opera Maria.

[Chuck Schumer]

Directed by Pablo Larrey for your consideration, now playing at Lech Peterson on Netflix.