Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Monday, Jan 13, 2025

US Will Take Abortion Pill Case To Supreme Court

US Will Take Abortion Pill Case To Supreme Court

The move by the administration of President Joe Biden came just hours after an appeals court blocked moves to ban mifepristone.
The US Justice Department said Thursday that it will go to the Supreme Court to appeal restrictions imposed on a widely-used abortion pill in the latest round of an intensifying battle over reproductive rights.

The move by the administration of President Joe Biden came just hours after an appeals court blocked moves to ban mifepristone, but limited access to the drug used for more than half of the abortions in the United States.

"We will be seeking emergency relief from the Supreme Court... to protect Americans' access to safe and effective reproductive care," US Attorney General Merrick Garland said.

Speaking to reporters during Joe Biden's visit to Dublin, Ireland, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said "we believe that the law is on our side, and we will prevail."

Late Wednesday, the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals said mifepristone should remain available for now, but limited access to the first seven weeks of pregnancy, down from 10.

The appeals court also said in-person visits would be necessary to obtain the pill -- a requirement lifted in recent years -- and blocked the medication from being sent by mail.

The 2-1 ruling by the conservative-majority federal appeals court in New Orleans, Louisiana, came after a US District Court judge in Texas overturned the Food and Drug Administration's two-decades old approval of the drug last Friday.

The appeals court ruling was denounced by Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, the Center for Reproductive Rights and other groups seeking to maintain access to abortion.

"We are furious that yet another court would choose to jeopardize the health and futures of the millions of people who rely on mifepristone for abortion care," said Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson.

Jennifer Dalven, director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, said "unless the Supreme Court steps in, this decision will prevent many people from getting abortion care and force them to remain pregnant against their will."

'Win'

The anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony described the latest ruling by two judges appointed by former Republican president Donald Trump as a "win."

"The court recognized that the abortion pill is dangerous and rolled back Biden's reckless mail-order abortion scheme," said Susan B. Anthony state policy director Katie Daniel. "We look forward to the Supreme Court hearing this case."

The latest standoff over women's reproductive freedom in America comes almost a year after the conservative-dominated Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that had enshrined the constitutional right to abortion for half a century.

Mifepristone is one component of a two-drug regimen that can be used in the United States through the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

It has a long safety record, and the FDA estimates 5.6 million Americans have used it to terminate pregnancies since it was approved.

Last week's ruling by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, also a Trump appointee, imposing a nationwide ban on mifepristone came in response to a suit by a coalition of anti-abortion groups.

The judge, in his decision, adopted language used by abortion opponents, referring to abortion providers as "abortionists" and saying the drug was used to "kill the unborn human."

Mr Kacsmaryk said the two-drug regimen that includes mifepristone had resulted in "thousands of adverse events suffered by women and girls," including intense bleeding and psychological trauma.

But the FDA, researchers and the drugmaker say decades of experience have proven the medication to be safe and effective when used as indicated.

Shortly after the initial Texas decision, a judge in Washington state ruled in a separate case that access to mifepristone must be preserved.

Polls repeatedly show a clear majority of Americans support continued access to safe abortion, even as conservative groups push to limit access the procedure -- or ban it outright.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
Rising Casualties and Intense Diplomacy: The Conflict in Gaza Continues
0:00
0:00
Open
Rising Casualties and Intense Diplomacy: The Conflict in Gaza Continues
0:00
0:00
Close
Rising Casualties and Intense Diplomacy: The Conflict in Gaza Continues
Joseph Aoun Elected as Lebanon's New President: Ending a Prolonged Power Vacuum
Joseph Aoun Elected Lebanon’s 14th President Amid Political Stalemate
Trump Signals Shake-Up at the Pentagon Amid Transition Concerns
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Trump's Last-Minute Bid to Block Sentencing in New York
Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Casualties Surge as Diplomatic Efforts Continue
Escalation in West Bank: Israeli Boy Killed in Palestinian Gun Attack
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Trump's Appeal to Delay Sentencing in New York Hush Money Case
Lancet Study Reveals Underestimation of Gaza War Death Toll by 40 Percent
Global Acclaim Follows Election of Lebanon's New President Joseph Aoun
Saudi Leaders Extend Congratulations to Joseph Aoun, New President of Lebanon
UN Accuses Israel of Restricting Humanitarian Aid in Northern Gaza
US Pledges $500 Million Military Aid Package to Ukraine
Ethiopia Endures a Series of Earthquakes in Brief Timespan
Joseph Aoun: Lebanon's Fourteenth President Amid a Legacy of Challenges
President Biden Reports Meaningful Progress on Gaza Agreement
Lancet Study Reveals Higher Gaza Death Toll than Official Reports
Global and Arab Welcome for Joseph Aoun's Election as Lebanon's President
Biden Cites 'Real Progress' in Gaza Deal Talks Amid Intense Negotiation Efforts
Escalation in Gaza: Casualties Rise Amidst Ongoing Negotiations
Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Casualties Surge as Negotiations Continue
Quaker Group Cancels NYT Ad Over Dispute on Gaza Terminology
IDF Imposes Media Restraints Amid Legal Concerns For Soldiers
Trump's Counter-terrorism Nominee Urges UK to Repatriate British IS Members from Syria
Uncovering Iraq's Mass Graves: A Haunting Search for the Missing
Kurdish Commander Appeals to Trump for Continued U.S. Military Presence in Syria
Global Powers Call for Stabilization Efforts in Syria Amid Transition
Syria at a Crossroads: The Unceremonious Collapse of the Assad Regime
Trump's Syria Conundrum: Staying Out May Be Easier Said Than Done
Syrian Rebel Leader Pledges to Dismantle Assad's Notorious Prisons
Escalation in Gaza: Increased Casualties Amid Ongoing Conflict
Dissecting Luxury: A Study of American Society in the Digital Age
Escalating Violence in Gaza as Ceasefire Negotiations Intensify
US Eases Missile Technology Export Regulations for Key Allies
Escalation in Gaza Conflict: Fatal Strikes and Escalation in the West Bank
Gaza Cola: A Palestinian Initiative Aimed at Rebuilding Amidst Conflict
Poland Shuts Consulate in Saint Petersburg Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions
Miracle at Sea: Baby Born on Migrant Vessel Rescued by Spanish Coast Guard
Saudi Crown Prince Engages in Diplomatic Dialogue with Ukraine’s Zelensky
Israeli Military Recovers Body of Hostage in Gaza, Evidence Suggests Son Also Killed
Explosion at Ammunition Depot Rocks Syria's Idlib Region
Saudi Arabia Battling Unprecedented Floods Amid Torrential Rains
Cease-fire Negotiations in Qatar: No Timeline for Resolution
UN Seeks Additional $371.4 Million for Lebanon Amidst Ongoing Crisis
Saudi Arabia Continues Aid Bridge to Syria Amid Ongoing Crisis
Israel Declares West Bank a 'Primary Arena' of Threats Amid Escalating Conflict
U.S. Sanctions Shake Sudan's Political Landscape Amid Ongoing Conflict
Israeli Military Recovers Body of Hostage from Gaza
Violence Escalates as Al-Qaeda Militants Clash with Malian Army
Hamas Rebuilds Military Capabilities as Israeli Soldiers Face Legal Challenges Abroad
×