By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Political Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously voted on June 13 to dismiss a challenge to mifepristone, an abortion pill, saying opponents lack standing to contest the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) actions concerning the drug.
“Today’s decision does not change the fact that the fight for reproductive freedom continues. It does not change the fact that the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago, and women lost a fundamental freedom,” said President Joe Biden (D) in a statement. “It does mean that mifepristone, or medication abortion, remains available and approved.”
The FDA approved mifepristone in September 2000 to be used for terminating a pregnancy up to seven weeks gestation, according to the FDA’s website. In 2016, they approved its use for up to 10 weeks.
Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), who has been vocal about protecting abortion rights in Congress, commented on the decision.
“It was correct that the Supreme Court made the decision to keep this single right intact – women’s access to this particular reproductive medication,” said Alsobrooks in a statement. “But I, like so many women across this country, shouldn’t have to wait with bated breath to see if justices will allow us to make our own health care decisions. I shouldn’t have to fear for our daughters’ and granddaughters’ futures in this country.”
With the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, abortion access has become a top issue for one in eight voters or 12 percent, according to a health-tracking poll by KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), a health policy organization. About half of voters polled say they believe the upcoming presidential, congressional and state-level elections will have a “major impact” on abortion access.
For that reason, the decision has drawn a range of responses.
“I have both relief and anger about this decision. Thank goodness the Supreme Court unanimously rejected this unwarranted attempt to curtail access to medication abortion, but the fact remains that this meritless case should never have gotten this far,” said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, in a statement shortly after the decision. “In the end, this ruling is not a ‘win’ for abortion—it just maintains the status quo, which is a dire public health crisis in which 14 states have criminalized abortion.”
According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, the 14 states that have made abortion illegal include Arkansas, Idaho, Texas and West Virginia.
“While we’re disappointed with the court’s decision, we will continue to advocate for women,” said Erin Hawley, a senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy group, in a statement.
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