Republicans largely quiet as Democrats hammer SCOTUS abortion pill challenge
Republicans remained relatively quiet on Tuesday as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a challenge regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) actions to make the abortion pill Mifeprisone easier to access over the course of several years. Democratic lawmakers sounded off in apparent unison, contrasting with their partisan counterparts and bashing the arguments against the drug and the FDA’s choice to make it more accessible for women. REPUBLICANS SEE EMBATTLED MENENDEZ’S POTENTIAL INDEPENDENT BID AS CHANCE TO FLIP SENATE SEAT “Judges need to stay out of women’s health care decisions. Getting prescription abortion medication is a personal decision, not the Supreme Court’s or any politician’s. This is another step in Republicans’ fight to ban abortion nationwide and I am having none of it,” wrote Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., on X, formerly known as Twitter. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., added, “The case before the Supreme Court today is not about the safety or efficacy of medication abortion. The FDA has already made it clear that mifepristone is safe & effective.” “This case is about Donald Trump & the Republican Party marching us toward a full-on national abortion ban,” she continued, tying the case to the upcoming general election. SEN. KENNEDY TORCHES OLYMPIC SKIER’S ‘EXPERT’ CLIMATE CHANGE TESTIMONY: THE ‘KARDASHIAN-ING OF AMERICA’ Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., stressed, “We cannot afford to go back” in reference to the case being considered. “Medication abortion is safe, effective & routine healthcare,” said progressive squad-member Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass. “SCOTUS must protect access to mifepristone & we must affirm abortion care as the human right that it is,” she emphasized. PRO-LIFE GROUPS ASSAIL FDA FOR ‘RECKLESS DISREGARD’ IN SUPREME COURT ABORTION PILL CASE Democratic lawmakers were vocal on social media ahead of and during the arguments, while many GOP representatives and senators focused on other things. The difference between the two parties’ public statements during the case’s arguments comes as abortion is predicted to play a critical role in the 2024 election in November. While most GOP senators avoided commentary, some of the particularly devoted Pro-Life politicians sounded off. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., posted several fact checks to X, addressing “abortion industry lies.” “I’m praying for the SCOTUS justices as they hear oral arguments regarding the FDA’s decisions to loosen safety protocols of mifepristone. I hope they will prioritize women’s safety and reconsider the approval of this dangerous drug. #WomensHealthMatters,” wrote the chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith, R-Miss. However, the relatively few public Republican remarks on the case on Tuesday doesn’t mean many of the lawmakers aren’t supportive of the challenge. In fact, 145 Republican representatives and senators signed an amicus brief last month in support of the respondents, the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, Et Al. LETITIA JAMES RALLIES PRO-CHOICE CROWD OUTSIDE SUPREME COURT: ‘MARCH TO THE POLLS’ On the other hand, 50 senators and 207 House members previously signed a separate amicus brief backing up the FDA and the use of Mifepristone. During the oral arguments, the lawyer for challengers to the FDA and abortion medication, Erin Hawley, asked the high court to require the restrictions that were removed surrounding Mifepristone be re-enstated. “The lower court’s decision merely restored long-standing and crucial protections under which millions of women used abortion drugs,” she said of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals previous ruling to roll back many of the FDA’s actions starting in 2016 to make it easier to dispense and access the medication. Hawley, senior counsel at the Alliance Defending Freedom, is also the wife of Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. Many of the court’s justices appeared skeptical of the case’s trajectory to the Supreme Court, given the small pool of affected parties. “This case seems like a prime example of turning what could be a small lawsuit into a nationwide, legislative assembly on an FDA rule,” said conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch. But fellow conservative justices Samuel Alito, who authored the opinion in Dobbs. V. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe. V. Wade, and Clarence Thomas criticized the idea that the FDA is immune from challenges. Alito claimed during the arguments that the agency is seeking to be “infallible.”
In abortion pill arguments, Supreme Court justices seem skeptical about FDA accountability experts say
The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) relaxed regulations on a widely prescribed abortion pill, and while legal experts say that the case could be tossed due to a lack of standing, the justices appeared skeptical of the idea that the FDA could face no liability. Erin Hawley, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, argued the case on behalf of a group of doctors challenging the FDA’s loose access restrictions on mifepristone. While the justices seemed skeptical that the doctors had standing to sue, they did seem to take issue with the lack of accountability for the FDA for any harms caused by the abortion pill. “It’s quite troubling. It’s one thing to say no one has standing in a taxpayer case where it affects everyone. Here you have the FDA who’s not publicly accountable at all really, and has continually deregulated mifepristone. So I think that will be something the court really struggles with,” Hawley said. SUPREME COURT APPEARS INCLINED TO PRESERVE BROAD ACCESS TO ABORTION DRUG Justice Samuel Alito at one point questioned Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, arguing for the FDA. “The statement was made that no court has ever previously second-guessed the FDA’s judgment about access to a drug,” he said. “It’s never second-guessed that? Do you think the FDA is infallible? “So your argument is that it doesn’t matter if FDA flagrantly violated the law or didn’t do what it should have done, endanger the health of women,” he said. “It’s just too bad, and nobody can sue in court?” he pressed. SUPREME COURT DIVES BACK INTO ABORTION DEBATE, WILL HEAR ARGUMENTS ON MIFEPRISTONE REGULATION Thomas Jipping, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said that Alito’s questioning may have revealed his thinking on who has standing in such a matter. “If you take a view of standing that results, not in these plaintiffs cannot sue, but no one can sue, maybe your view of standing is kind of misguided in the first place.,” he said. “That was an interesting one.” WYOMING GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL OUTLAWING GENDER-REASSIGNMENT PROCEDURES ON CHILDREN, VETOES ABORTION RESTRICTIONS “Sometimes justices ask questions, not only just for an answer on a specific legal question, but kind of they ask questions that are related to a train of thought, something that they’ve been considering,” Jipping said. “Maybe they’ve been talking about with their clerks sort of thinking out loud. And that was clearly one, that for Justice Alito and the Chief Justice. was the significant one,” he added.
Alaska set to increase grants for download speeds at rural schools
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy plans to sign legislation passed days ahead of a funding application deadline that aims to increase internet download speeds for rural schools. Under the bill, HB193, schools would be able to get grants to increase download speeds to 100 megabits per second, a four-fold increase over what is currently available in state law, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Supporters of the measure see it as an equity issue. The Federal Communications Commission this month said modern broadband networks should provide at least 100 mbps. ALASKA LAWMAKERS FAIL TO OVERRIDE OF GOV. DUNLEAVY’S VETO OF EDUCATION PACKAGE A version of the internet bill passed the Senate last year but was rewritten in the House this session to become a broader education package that Dunleavy vetoed late last month. Lawmakers failed to override the veto, leaving them scrambling to get another bill passed that would help eligible schools apply for funding before a Wednesday deadline. The Senate passed HB193 Monday, following House passage last week. Dunleavy, on social media, said while the bill “is not perfect and there is additional need for more work on the affordability of broadband in Alaska, this is a step in the right direction. The increased internet speed will help schools’ educational process, especially in rural Alaska.” There is disagreement over the program’s cost. The state education department estimates it would cost nearly $40 million per year but members of the Alaska Telecom Association say the cost to the state is likely closer to $15 million a year. Federal grants typically match state funds 8 to 1. Last year, 151 schools received $6.6 million in state funding for up to 25 mbps download speeds.
Biden concedes to pro-Palestinian protesters after multiple interruptions: ‘They have a point’
President Biden was interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters during a speech in North Carolina on Tuesday where he eventually conceded that they “have a point” on “care in Gaza.” “What about the health care in Gaza?” A member of the audience shouted at Biden while he was delivering remarks on healthcare in Raleigh, North Carolina. “What about the health care in Gaza?” “Everybody deserves health care,” Biden responded. “Be patient with them.” One of the protesters continued shouting off camera before Biden acknowledged the concern being raised. PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT SOTU NEAR CAPITOL: ‘BIDEN’S LEGACY IS GENOCIDE’ “They have a point, we need to get a lot more care into Gaza,” Biden said. “But folks back to the subject at hand. Even pregnancy was considered a preexisting condition. You all know that? Well, for all the young people out there before ACA, you’d get kicked off your parent’s health care plans before you turned 26 just as you’re heading out on your own. A lot has changed.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. JILL BIDEN HECKLED MORE THAN ONCE AT ARIZONA CAMPAIGN STOP Biden, and First Lady Jill Biden, have been heckled numerous times in the past year over the developing war in Gaza by critics who have accused his administration of supporting a “genocide” against Palestinian people. “How many kids have you killed?” One protester shouted at Biden in January. Biden has faced mounting criticism from within his own party over his support of Israel’s military campaign to rid Gaza of Hamas terrorists following the massacre they carried out against civilians on October 7th of last year. BIDEN ADMIN ‘PERPLEXED’ BY NETANYAHU DECISION TO CANCEL ISRAELI DELEGATION As Biden has attempted to appease members of his party who are calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, tensions have grown between his administration and Israeli leadership who recently canceled a visit to the United States after the U.S. did not veto a United Nations resolution calling for a cease fire. Recent Fox News polling shows a sharp divide within the Democratic Party on the Israel issue with 42% of voters supporting the Palestinian side of the conflict, up from 25% in October. Views on backing Israel have mostly held steady since November: 30% of voters think the U.S. is too supportive, 27% not supportive enough, and 38% say it’s about right. Voters under age 30 are among those most likely to say the U.S. has been too supportive, as 47% feel that way. Since November, approval of Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war is down 8 points among all voters and down 10 points among Democrats.
California capital to vote on ‘sanctuary city’ status for transgender people
Sacramento City Council members are poised to vote on a resolution Tuesday evening that would declare it a sanctuary city for transgender people — including minors. The legislation has received the stamp of approval from a major Democrat-Socialist organization. Sacramento City Councilmember Katie Valenzuela, a Democrat, spearheaded the resolution, which would protect medical professionals who perform gender transition surgeries on children from any “attempts to impose criminal punishment,” including civil liabilities or subjugation to out-of-state laws that restrict such procedures. “California has been a leader in protecting the rights of transgender individuals to access care, but many states across the nation are moving in the opposite direction,” the resolution states. “In preparation of future legislation that may criminalize those providing or seeking gender-affirming care and given the Council’s stated values of equity and inclusion, it is important for the City of Sacramento to be proactive in reiterating our commitment to transgender rights and equal protections for transgender people by declaring ourselves a sanctuary city and a place of safety for transgender people.” VIRGINIA COUNTY DECLARES TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY ON EASTER THIS YEAR The council will vote on the resolution Tuesday at 5 p.m. PST after a special presentation declaring this week “transgender week of visibility.” The Democratic Socialists of America – Sacramento chapter endorsed the resolution last week in a post on X, formerly Twitter. The council’s resolution comes two years after Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom passed a law declaring the Golden State a sanctuary state for transgender children, also preventing criminalization of medical professionals who carry out gender transition surgeries or providing hormone treatments to minors. Maine’s legislature is currently considering a bill that would declare it a sanctuary state for transgender surgical procedures and abortions. MAINE CONSIDERS BILL THAT WOULD ESTABLISH ‘LEGAL RIGHT’ TO ABORTION, TRANSGENDER SURGICAL PROCEDURES NEBRASKA GOVERNOR TIGHTENS RESTRICTIONS ON GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENTS FOR MINORS Conservative states have begun ramping up laws restricting both surgical and nonsurgical transgender procedures for minors. States such as Idaho, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Alabama and Florida have made it a felony to perform surgical procedures, such as sex changes, on minors or provide them with any gender-transition drugs. Several more liberal states have created “shield laws” that protect these procedures and gender-transition drugs for transgender people and children. Those states include California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, New York, Vermont, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maryland, Illinois and Massachusetts. And medical associations are supportive of wider access to gender-transition surgical procedures for transgender children. Earlier this month, the American Psychological Association (APA) announced a new policy urging clinics to provide “unobstructed access” to gender-transitioning treatments for children. The American Medical Association (AMA) also states on its website that “improving access to gender-affirming care is an important means of improving health outcomes for the transgender population.”
Congress expected to consider emergency spending measure to replace Baltimore bridge after collapse
Congressional lawmakers are expected to move quickly on an anticipated supplemental spending request to cover at least part of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore following the collapse Tuesday, Fox News has learned. It may take time to determine how much such a project would cost and what the exact needs will be. The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning after a container ship crashed into one of the major bridge supports. In years past, Congress has acted quickly to commit funding to collapsed bridge and infrastructure catastrophes. Congress moved expeditiously after the deadly collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis in 2007, when 13 people died and 145 were injured. The House unanimously fast-tracked a bill approving a quarter of a billion dollars to rebuild the bridge just two days after the collapse. The vote was 421-0. The Senate then approved a slightly different version by unanimous consent. The House then took the Senate version, approving that measure by unanimous consent. All told, it took a handful of days after the accident to sign money for the new bridge into law. BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE: CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS CONSIDERING FEDERAL ASSISTANCE Emergency appropriations for Tuesday’s disaster may not move quite as quickly as they did in 2007, considering the scope of the tragedy and the size of the old Key Bridge. Congress is currently in recess and only just wrapped up an acrimonious fight over government spending. Democrat Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland in a Tuesday statement offered prayers for those involved in the incident and promised to work with state leaders to “make federal resources available to reopen the Port of Baltimore, redirect critical road traffic, and rebuild the Key Bridge as quickly as possible.” Piling on additional debt – without offsets – could pose a problem in the House, where fiscal hawks are already raging against Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., about the two spending bills. However, sources familiar with House operations told Fox that they don’t expect there to be problems moving a bill for emergency bridge funding, even though House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger, R-Texas, recently announced she was giving up her gavel. House Rules Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., is believed to have the inside track to succeed Granger in the coming weeks. No one expected the possible need for another appropriations bill so soon after passing spending measures in the early hours Saturday morning. After the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed under its own weight in 2007, the rapid action of Congress and President George W. Bush helped speed recovery efforts and reconstruction of the bridge. Bush’s emergency declaration for Minnesota, just days after the bridge collapsed, allowed the state to recover costs from the federal government and begin to remove debris from the scene. GOING, GOING, GONE: COULD THE REPUBLICANS’ SLIM HOUSE MAJORITY SLIP AWAY BEFORE NOVEMBER? The late Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn., was chairman of the House Transportation Committee at the time. Although the bridge was not in Oberstar’s district, he was able to muscle through an emergency appropriation of $250 million to the state’s department of transportation to begin rebuilding the bridge. The new I-35W bridge opened a little more than a year after the collapse. Considering the amount of trade that funnels through the Port of Baltimore – to say nothing of traffic and commerce which moved across the Francis Scott Key Bridge as a major east coast artery – it is possible Congress could be called upon to provide funding to rebuild the bridge in record time. “Of course it will affect trade,” Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., told Fox News Tuesday. “I’m worried about the families and all of the inconvenience that will occur because the bridge is gone. It was such a good link.” Fox News’ Thomas Phippen contributed to this story.
Virginia governor vetoes dozens of gun control bills thwarting Democrat legislators
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed more than two dozen gun control bills Tuesday that had sailed through the state’s Democratic-controlled General Assembly before landing on the Republican governor’s desk. “I swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia and today, I’ve done exactly that,” Youngkin said Tuesday in a comment provided to Fox News Digital. All in, Youngkin took action on a total of 67 bills on Tuesday — including vetoing 30 gun control bills that would “punish law-abiding gun owners,” according to a press release from the governor’s office — amended six other bills related to gun safety and signed four other bills into law that “make it harder for criminal to use guns in commission of a violent act.” One of the top pieces of legislation Youngkin vetoed would have made it a misdemeanor to import, sell, manufacture, purchase or transfer so-called “assault firearms,” which are typically understood as semi-automatic firearms such as AR-15s, and high-capacity magazines made after July 1. Versions of that legislation were introduced and passed in both the state House and Senate. REPUBLICAN VIRGINIA GOV. YOUNGKIN TO REVIEW DEMOCRAT-LED GUN CONTROL MEASURES “The Constitution precludes the Commonwealth from prohibiting a broad category of firearms widely embraced for lawful purposes, such as self-defense. Despite this, certain members of the General Assembly have pursued legislation banning most contemporary semiautomatic firearms and specific ammunition-feeding devices,” Youngkin said in a veto statement on the pair of bills. “Virginia has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. Unfortunately, the Commonwealth has reduced penalties for criminals, contributing to violent crime. Enhancing penalties for crimes committed with firearms will reverse this trend. Our most significant gap, however, has been in our behavioral health system, which is why substantial investments in behavioral health are necessary,” he added. GUN RIGHTS SUPPORTERS RALLY AT VIRGINIA CAPITOL ON ANNUAL ‘LOBBY DAY’ Youngkin also vetoed another bill, HB 916, which would have required state police to establish a tracking and reporting system for the state’s already established red flag laws, and provide updates to lawmakers on a regular basis on where red flag orders were being issued. He also vetoed a pair of bills that would have imposed a five-day waiting period for gun purchases, which would begin when a gun purchaser agrees to a background check. “The proposed waiting periods would impede individuals facing threats of violence from promptly acquiring a firearm for self-defense,” the governor said in a veto statement. The Republican governor also vetoed House Bill 454 and its Senate version, SB 383, which would have banned guns on college campuses and buildings owned by public universities and institutions of higher education. “The Boards of Visitors at Virginia’s institutions of higher education already have the authority to regulate their respective campuses, including implementing firearms prohibitions. This allows for consideration of the differences across regions and students’ unique circumstances,” Youngkin said in a veto statement. FEDERAL JUDGE RULES IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO BAN GUNS FROM POST OFFICES The executive director of the NRA-ILA, the National Rifle Association’s lobbying arm, celebrated the governor’s vetoes as a “refusal to bow to unconstitutional overreach.” “Governor Glenn Youngkin’s courageous veto of dozens of ill-conceived gun control bills is a resounding victory for the Second Amendment in Virginia. His refusal to bow to unconstitutional overreach—stopping widespread bans on semi-automatic firearms, blocking ill-conceived laws like arbitrary waiting periods, and unjust age restrictions—underscores his fierce commitment to safeguarding our fundamental rights,” the NRA’s Randy Kozuch said. “This is a clear message: Virginia stands firm against the erosion of our liberties. NRA members in Virginia and across the country salute Governor Youngkin’s unwavering resolve to defend the rights of all Virginians against these flagrant assaults on our self-defense rights and our ability to protect ourselves and our loved ones.” The flood of gun control bills comes after Democrats saw big wins in local elections, holding control of the State Senate, and claiming control of the House of Delegates following Election Day 2023. Youngkin, earlier this month, had signaled he was likely set to veto many of the gun control bills after vetoing a piece of legislation on March 8 that would have required individuals accused of domestic violence and subject to a protective order to turn over their firearms. VA GUN CONTROL BILLS ADVANCE IN LEGISLATURE AFTER RECENT SHOOTINGS AT UNIVERSITY, ELEMENTARY CAMPUS “I strongly urge the General Assembly to shift its focus towards proven strategies aimed at combating violent crime, mandatory minimums for armed criminals and the presumption against bail,” Youngkin said in a statement earlier this month. The General Assembly can override the vetoes with a two-third majority vote from both houses, but Democrats do not have the numbers to support that effort, the Associated Press previously reported. Democrats in the state argue that stricter gun control laws would drive down crime and violence, while pointing to mass shootings such as the one at UVA’s campus in 2022 as evidence that laws need to change. Republicans have meanwhile argued that criminals will skirt gun laws and that tougher crime policies would better drive down violence than restricting gun access for law-abidding residents. “I swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of Virginia, and that absolutely includes protecting the right of law-abiding Virginians to keep and bear arms,” Youngkin said in the press release. “I am pleased to sign four public safety bills which are commonsense reforms with significant bipartisan support from the General Assembly, and offer recommendations to several bills which, if adopted, will make it harder for criminals to use guns in the commission of a violent act.” Youngkin signed four public safety bills into law, including HB 36 & SB 44, which prevents parents from willfully allowing their children access to firearms if they pose a credible threat of violence. And another pair of bills, HB 22 & SB 21, which prevent the manufacture, transfer or
Pentagon releases data on controversial abortion travel policy for service members
The Department of Defense has released partial data for its policy that covered travel expenses for service members seeking an abortion. The policy authorized administrative absences as well as travel and transportation allowances that gave service members and their dependents access to “non-covered reproductive healthcare.” That includes non-covered abortion and assisted reproductive technology like in vitro fertilization, ovarian stimulations and egg retrieval. Per figures released Tuesday, this policy was used 12 times between June and December 2023, Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said. The number accounts for how many times the policy was used, not how many people used it. Therefore, it could have been used several times by the same service member. SUPREME COURT APPEARS INCLINED TO PRESERVE BROAD ACCESS TO ABORTION DRUG In those 12 instances mentioned, the total cost paid by the Pentagon was slightly under $40,800. Singh did not disclose what specific non-covered reproductive healthcare services were used due to privacy concerns. Singh said the DOD’s respective services were given an August deadline to submit data. Some were earlier than others, which accounts for no data being available from January to May 2023. The Biden administration introduced the policy in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling the summer prior that overturned Roe v. Wade. It proved controversial, igniting an uproar among Republican lawmakers who tried to kill it. In February 2023, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., embarked on a one-man crusade by blocking President Biden’s military nominations over what he described as the Pentagon’s “illegal” policy of providing travel expense reimbursement to service members who seek an abortion. He finally ended his campaign in December. Fox News Digital’s Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
Pro-life groups assail FDA for ‘reckless disregard’ in Supreme Court abortion pill case
Pro-life leaders are accusing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of operating with a “reckless disregard for women’s health and safety” over the agency’s handling of a controversial abortion pill that’s now at the center of a high-stakes high court case. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments in a case that could curb nationwide access to abortion pills such as mifepristone — the drug that’s drawn the ire of the pro-life community, including March for Life President Jeanne Mancini. “The FDA’s removal of nearly all safeguards around the dangerous abortion drug mifepristone has needlessly put women and girls at risk for suffering severe — even life-threatening — complications without the ongoing care of a medical provider,” Mancini said. “We hope the FDA will be held accountable for failing to meet its own standards when it comes to abortion drugs. Such reckless disregard for women’s health and safety is unacceptable from an agency tasked with protecting it.” The case, FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, centers around mifepristone. Approved by the FDA in 2000, the medication is used alongside another drug to end a pregnancy as early as 10 weeks gestation. MAJOR DRUG STORES START SELLING ABORTION PILL SOME SAY IS ‘DANGEROUS’ FOR WOMEN AHEAD OF LANDMARK SCOTUS CASE The FDA took strides in 2021 — the year before the Supreme Court’s June 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade — to make mifepristone more accessible, including by removing the requirement for patients to see a doctor in person to get a prescription. But months after the Supreme Court’s landmark summer decision, a federal appeals court in Texas ruled the FDA’s policy change was illegal, as was an earlier update that extended the pill’s recommended usage by several weeks. The high court is now reviewing that decision. “Bowing to pressure from the abortion industry, the FDA loosened the safety requirements of mifepristone which still has a black box warning,” National Right to Life President Carol Tobias said. “Drugs that come with black box warnings have the most dangerous side effects and safety concerns, yet the FDA is okay with mifepristone being prescribed and even mailed to women without an in-person exam.” FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICE STEPHEN BREYER SOUNDS OFF ON DOBBS DECISION: ‘TOO MANY QUESTIONS’ SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser told Fox News Digital that she “was proud to stand with women harmed by abortion drugs courageously sharing their stories, and with the doctors caring for them, in contrast to the abortion industry that leaves women to suffer alone.” “Today we are standing up to say women’s health matters and the FDA must do its job. We urge the Supreme Court to uphold safeguards for women and girls,” she said. Erik Baptist, senior counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, said that pro-life groups are “simply asking the Court to reinstate the original standards that were in effect for over 15 years.” Meanwhile, pro-choice groups are maintaining that mifepristone is a safe and critical drug in the post-Roe landscape of reproductive health. KEY STUDY IN FDA ABORTION PILL CASE AT THE SUPREME COURT WAS RETRACTED IN ‘PARTISAN ASSAULT’ AUTHORS SAY “Decades of research and clinical experience have demonstrated that mifepristone is extraordinarily safe and effective, including when dispensed by pharmacies or through the mail,” Rabia Muqaddam, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, told Fox News Digital. “There is no legitimate science disputing this research. Instead, the plaintiffs in the case rely on widely discredited and even retracted research articles and the say-so of anti-abortion zealots.” Muqaddam added: “If the Supreme Court sides with the plaintiffs and their junk science over the FDA and decades of high-quality research, countless people will suffer as will the ability of Americans to access important drug innovations.” Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson cast the case as a “threat” to women’s rights — and more. “Beyond the threat to our fundamental rights, the very existence of this case puts every other FDA-approved medication at risk of being taken off the market or restricted for political reasons,” Johnson said. “That is reason enough to be clear about how serious this case is for the future of sexual and reproductive health care and everything beyond.”
U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls target of investigation by House ethics committee
It did not specify the focus of the investigation, but Nehls said it was related to his campaign’s finances.