DeGette statement on 5th Circuit Court decision on mifepristone
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), co-chair of the House Pro-Choice Caucus, issued the following statement in response to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision to restrict Americans’ access to the widely used abortion pill, mifepristone, but allow the medication to remain available for now:
“This is an extreme decision that will put women’s lives at risk. And, if allowed to stand, it threatens to undermine our nation’s entire drug-approval process going forward. Every woman in this country should have the freedom to make her own health care decisions, including whether to seek abortion care.
“Despite Americans’ overwhelming support for women’s right to access reproductive care, Republicans have shown, over and over, that they will not stop until they’ve instituted a full nationwide ban on abortion care in this country.
“Mifepristone has been approved for use in this country for more than 20 years and has been used by more than 5 million Americans. It is safe and effective and there is no reason – other than politics – to restrict a woman’s access to this important medication.
“While I am hopeful that the U.S. Supreme Court will do the right thing and ultimately reverse this disastrous decision, we must immediately take steps to curb the devastation it could cause. As the co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, I will be working closely with colleagues in Congress and the Biden Administration to ensure we are doing everything we can to make sure this important medication remains available to as many Americans as possible.”