Last week, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court ruling on the abortion drug mifepristone to give the justices time to review the issues raised in an appeal, the Associated Press reported.
Earlier this month, a federal judge in Texas halted the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, prompting the Biden administration to immediately file a notice of appeal with the Supreme Court.
While the plaintiffs who sued the FDA had asked the court to withdraw or suspend the FDA’s approval entirely, Judge Kaczmaryk’s injunction stopped short of doing so.
The judge placed a 7-day hold on his decision to allow for the administration to appeal the ruling, which the Justice Department did last week.
The Supreme Court’s order, signed by Justice Samuel Alito last Friday, placed a five-day pause on the case so the justices have time to decide if Kaczmaryk’s decision should be allowed to take effect while the case is appealed.
In a statement on Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration stands by the FDA’s “evidence-based approval” of the drug. She said the White House supports the independence and “expert authority” of the FDA to “review, approve, and regulate” prescription drugs.
Jean-Pierre also vowed that the White House would continue to “fight to restore” Roe v. Wade.
On Saturday, abortion activists throughout the country held rallies after the Supreme Court’s decision, the Associated Press reported.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Biden administration’s point person on abortion, appeared at the pro-abortion rally in Los Angeles where she urged abortion activists to take up the fight against the pro-life laws making their way through the US courts.
Harris claimed that laws restricting abortion are violating the “fundamental rights” of Americans and called on activists to fight back “based on our collective love of our country.” Harris argued that those attacking “the rights of women in America” are attacking the country itself.
