EMILYs List Statement on 5th Circuit Attempting to Increase Restrictions in Mifepristone Case Decision
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that mifepristone, the first of a two-part series of drugs used in medication abortion, will remain on the market with increased restrictions. Today’s decision is not in effect yet, but would reintroduce the restrictions from 2016, including reducing the window for usage from 10 to seven weeks of pregnancy, increasing in-person visits from one to three appointments, and restricting telemedicine and medication by mail – all of which are medically unnecessary and push essential health care out of reach for millions. The Department of Justice will likely appeal this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court and the increased restrictions from this decision will not take effect unless the Supreme Court does not take the case. EMILYs List President Laphonza Butler released the following statement in response to this decision:
“The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has decided yet again to play politics and ignore science in an effort to restrict abortion access across the country. Mifepristone’s safety record is clear, yet anti-abortion judges are using every tool they can to push access to essential health care out of the hands of tens of millions. As more conservative judges act like making laws is their job, EMILYs List is working to ensure we elect Democratic pro-choice women across the nation who are committed to passing laws that protect and restore essential freedoms that the American people deserve and continue to demand.”
EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, works to elect Democratic pro-choice women up and down the ballot and across the country with a goal of fighting for our rights and our communities. Our work is centered around a fundamental vision: Run. Win. Change the World. EMILYs List has raised $850 million in service to that vision and has helped Democratic women win competitive elections by recruiting and training candidates, supporting and helping build strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, running one of the largest independent expenditure operations for Democrats, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect the country’s first woman as vice president, 175 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 20 governors, and over 1,500 women to state and local office. More than 40% of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Visit www.emilyslist.org for more information.
