Democratic lawmakers voice anger over abortion pill ruling: ‘This is an outrage’

Democratic lawmakers voiced outrage on Friday over the ruling from a Texas federal judge that could threaten access to abortion pills.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s opinion claimed that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) improperly rushed the approval process of mifepristone and violated federal standards. He granted the FDA just seven days to file an appeal and seek emergency relief before his ruling goes into effect.

The FDA appealed to the conservative-leaning Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals later Friday night. 

The Democrats responding to the ruling said it constitutes an attack on reproductive health care.

Rep. Sarah Jacobs (D-Calif.) tweeted that she is “sick of misogynistic attacks” on her health care from men who “don’t know a damn thing about my body.” She called for the ruling to be appealed and ensuring that the FDA uses its authority to protect access to the pill. 

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) called the ruling a “horrific judicial overreach” to create a “backdoor national abortion ban.” 

“I will do everything in my power to protect the full range of reproductive health care,” he said. “This is an outrage.” 

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) posted that the decision infringes on the rights of individual states to protect abortion rights, goes against more than two decades of “safe and effective” use of mifepristone and could endanger women’s health and safety. 

“Abortion care is health care, and while we wait for the government’s response to this ruling, I am committed to working with [House Democrats] to continue defending the freedom of women to make their own healthcare decisions without interference by politicians or activist judges,” he wrote.

Medication abortions make up more than half of all abortions done. 

Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.) said in a statement that mifepristone has been safely used for 20 years. She said the ruling “exploited a technicality” to deny access to the pill. 

She noted that the pill is also used to safely manage miscarriages. 

“While Mifepristone is still legal for now, this ruling sets a terrible precedent,” Adams said. “Yet again, the Republican rollback of our rights will cause pain to women and parents, and disproportionately affect women of color and others without the means to travel for care.” 

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) also vowed that Democrats will continue to stand up against a “far-right attack” on reproductive rights. 

A separate ruling from U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice in Washington State prevented the FDA from “altering the status quo and rights as it relates to the availability of Mifepristone” in 17 states and Washington, D.C., conflicting with Kacsmaryk’s ruling.