HYDE-SMITH, PFLUGER LEAD BICAMERAL BRIEF TO SUPREME COURT CHALLENGING FDA DEREGULATION OF CHEMICAL ABORTION DRUGS
145 Lawmakers Argue FDA Violated Law, Endangered Women with 2016 &2021 Deregulation of Abortion-Inducing Drugs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and U.S. Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas-11) today led the filing a friend-of-the-court brief in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court that challenges the federal government’s deregulation of chemical abortion drugs.
Signed by 26 Senators and 119 House members, the lawmakers’ bicameral amicus brief in U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine squarely refutes FDA deregulation of chemical abortion drugs in 2016 and 2021, including allowing the distribution of mail-order abortion drugs.
“The intent of our friend-of-the-court brief makes the case for holding the FDA accountable for endangering the lives of women and girls in its march to make abortion-inducing drugs easily available. It is about taking to task a federal agency that has willingly and aggressively subverted federal law,” said Hyde-Smith, chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus. “I hope the brief is well received as this case is heard by the justices.”
“The FDA is not only breaking the law by making dangerous abortion drugs available through the mail without proper medical oversight, but they are also endangering the safety of women and girls,” said Pfluger. “I am proud to lead this initiative with Senator Hyde-Smith to keep politics out of health care.”
The brief provides a federal policy perspective as to why FDA acted in violation of federal law in 2016 and 2021 when it endangered the health and safety of women and girls by deregulating mifepristone (in combination with misoprostol) to broaden access to the chemical abortion drugs.
In 2016, the FDA eased safety precautions regarding the administration of the abortion drugs, including doing away with in-person and follow-up doctor visits, and eliminated reporting requirements for non-fatal adverse events. During the pandemic, FDA in 2021 allowed mifepristone to be delivered by mail in violation of Federal law.
In their amicus brief that can be read here, the lawmakers contend:
I. The FDA’s failure to adhere to the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) has created significant health and safety risks to women and girls.
A. The FDA Subverted Patient Safeguards in the FDCA.
B. Chemical Abortion Drugs Carry Significant Risks for Women and Girls.
C. The FDA’s Actions Have Endangered Patient Health and Safety.
II. The FDA has permitted mail-order chemical abortion drugs in violation of federal law.
Additional Senate signatories to the brief include U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), James Risch (R-Idaho), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Barrasso, M.D. (R-Wyo.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Debbie Fischer (R-Neb.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).
In addition to Pfluger, the brief was also signed by U.S. Representatives Robert Aderholt (Ala.-04), Rick Allen (Ga.-12), Jodey Arrington (Texas-19), Brian Babin (Texas-36), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Jim Baird (R-Ind.), Troy Balderson (Ohio-12), Jim Banks (Ind.-03), Aaron Bean (Fla.-04), Cliff Bentz (Ore.-02), Jack Bergman (Mich-01), Stephanie Bice (Okla.-05), Andy Biggs (Ariz.-05), Lauren Boebert (Colo.-03), Mike Bost (Ill.-12), Josh Brecheen (Okla.-02), Ken Buck (Colo.-04), Tim Burchett (Tenn.-02), Michael Burgess, M.D. (Texas-26), Eric Burlison (Mo.-07), Kat Cammack (Fla.-03), Jerry Carl (Ala.-01), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (Ga.-01), Mike Carey (OH.-15), Ben Cline (Va.-06), Michael Cloud (Texas-27), Andrew Clyde (Ga.-09), Mike Collins (Ga.-10), Eli Crane (Ariz-02), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas-02), John Curtis (UT-03), Warren Davidson (Ohio-08), Jeff Duncan (S.C.-03), Neal Dunn, M.D. (R-Fla.), Chuck Edwards (N.C.-11), Jake Ellzey (Texas-06), Ron Estes (Kan.-04), Mike Ezell (Miss.-04), Randy Feenstra (Ia.-04), Brad Finstad (Minn.-01), Michelle Fischbach (Minn.-07), Scott Fitzgerald (Wis.-05), Mike Flood (Neb.-01), Chuck Fleischmann (Tenn.-03), Virginia Foxx (N.C.-05), Scott Franklin (Fla.-18), Russell Fry (S.C.-07), Russ Fulcher (Idaho-01), Bob Good (Va.-05), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Vincente Gonzalez Jr. (Tx.-15), Paul Gosar (Ariz.-09), Garrett Graves (La.-08), Sam Graves (Mo.-06), Mark Green (Tenn.-07), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.-14), Michael Guest (Miss.-03), Harriet Hageman (Wyo.), Andy Harris, M.D. (Md.-01), Diana Harshbarger (Tenn.-01), Kevin Hern (Okla.-01), Clay Higgins (La.-03), French Hill (Ark.-02), Ashley Hinson (Iowa-02), Erin Houchin (Ind.-02), Richard Hudson (N.C.-09), Bill Huizenga (Mich.-04), Ronny Jackson (Texas-13), Bill Johnson (Ohio-06), Jim Jordan (Ohio-04), Mike Kelly (Pa.-16), Trent Kelly (Miss.-01), David Kustoff (Tenn.-08), Doug Lamborn (Colo.-05), Bob Latta (OH-05), Jake LaTurner (Kan.-02), Debbie Lesko (Ariz.-08), Barry Loudermilk (Ga.-11), Blaine Luetkemeyer (Mo.-09), Tracy Mann (Kan.-01), Lisa McClain (Mich.-09), Patrick Mchenry (N.C.-10), Dr. Rich McCormick (Ga.-06), Carol Miller (W.Va.-01), Mary Miller (Ill.-15), John Moolenar (Mich.-02), Alex X. Mooney (W.Va.-02), Barry Moore (Ala.-02), Blake Moore (UT-01), Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas-01), Greg Murphy (N.C.-03), Ralph Norman (S.C.-05), Andy Ogles (Tenn.-05), Gary Palmer (Ala.-06), Bill Posey (Fla-08), Guy Reschenthaler (Pa.-14), Mike Rogers (Ala.-03), John Rose (Tenn.-06), Matt Rosendale (Mont.-02), David Rouzer (N.C.-07), John Rutherford (R-Fla.), Steve Scalise (La.-01), Austin Scott (R-Ga.), Keith Self (Texas-03), Pete Sessions (Texas-17), Adrian Smith (Neb.-03), Christopher H. Smith (N.J.-04), Lloyd Smucker (Pa.-11), Elise Stefanik (N.Y.-1), Peter Stauber (Minn-08), Dale Strong (Ala.-06), Greg Stuebe (Fla.-17), Claudia Tenney (N.Y.-24), Glenn Thompson (Pa.-15), William Timmons, IV (S.C.-04), Beth Van Duyne (Texas-24), Tim Walberg (Mich.-05), Michael Waltz (Fla.-06), Randy Weber (Texas-14), Daniel Webster (Fla.-11), Bruce Westerman (Ark.-04), Roger Williams (Texas-25), Joe Wilson (S.C.-02), and Rudy Yakym (Ind.-02).
March for Life Action, Family Policy Alliance, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, CatholicVote, National Right to Life, and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America support the bicameral amicus brief.
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