ICYMI: EPA Is The Latest Federal Agency Weaponized Against Abortion Access

Agency will start testing water for abortion pills, handing anti-abortion extremists a new pretext to go after medication abortion

WASHINGTON, DC –– Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will begin tracking mifepristone and misoprostol in water nationwide. It’s the latest federal agency toward the anti-abortion movement's agenda, and it hands extremists exactly what they've spent years demanding: a federal data collection effort they can wave around while pushing baseless environmental claims designed to strip access to medication abortion.

In response, Gowri Buddiga, Campaign Director for Free & Just released the following statement:

“Mifepristone has been safely used for 25 years, and no amount of junk science is going to change that. What's changed is that this administration will hand the anti-abortion movement any agency it wants, including one that has no business anywhere near women's reproductive care."

None of this is happening in isolation. Anti-abortion extremists are pressing the FDA to revoke approval of medication abortion. Heidi Overton's nomination would put an abortion opponent at the top of the agency that regulates it. And Attorney General Todd Blanche has committed to "make Dobbs permanent." Medication abortion is still legal and still available. The open question is, how much longer do extremists inside the federal government intend to let that stand?

Abortion medication is safe, effective, and has been FDA approved for over twenty years. It is currently used in nearly two-thirds of abortions across the country; restricting access to medication abortion could eliminate care for 64.5 million people. 

Anti-abortion extremists are spreading misinformation and junk-science to advance a dangerous agenda. The EPA’s own findings show that it would take months—even decades—of drinking two liters of raw, untreated wastewater every day to reach the equivalent of a single dose of most common medications. 

Bottomline: Anti-abortion extremists are pressuring federal agencies like EPA, Department of Justice, and the FDA to abandon years of evidence-based research and ban medication abortion nationwide. 

New data from Reproductive Freedom for All and Impact Research finds that Americans across the political spectrum are nearly as opposed to a national abortion ban as they are to middle class tax increases and sweeping cuts to Medicaid. Still, Trump and anti-abortion extremists are weaponizing federal agencies to launch deadly new attacks on access to reproductive health care. 

If you are interested in speaking with patients, physicians, or advocates about EPA’s anti-abortion efforts, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Wisconsin Patients & Advocates Hold Senator Ron Johnson and Republican Lawmakers Accountable for Ongoing Attacks on Abortion Care

WATCH THE EVENT HERE

OSHKOSH, WI –– Yesterday, patient storytellers, and local partners joined Free & Just, to highlight how Trump Republican officials are working to ban abortion across the country––even in states where it is legally protected. The event featured speakers who have repeatedly sought meetings with Senator Johnson or his team this summer, but have been denied any opportunity to share their concerns about attacks on care – all while the Senate is currently in Summer Recess, a time when our congressmembers should be working in their home states and hearing from their constituents.

New data from Reproductive Freedom for All and Impact Research finds that Americans across the political spectrum are nearly as opposed to a national abortion ban as they are to middle class tax increases and sweeping cuts to Medicaid. Still, Trump and Republican lawmakers continue to launch deadly new attacks on access to reproductive health care.

The event followed Free & Just’s Abortion Stories on the Hill, which brought more than 150 patient storytellers, health care providers, and abortion rights advocates, including folks from Wisconsin to Washington, DC to share how attacks on abortion and reproductive freedom continue to harm women, families, and communities.

Wisconsinites continued the conversation right outside Senator Johnson’s office in Oshkosh and demanded that Johnson and Republicans in Congress stop raising costs, violating our privacy, and making life harder for everyday Americans.

“The truth is that Ron Johnson is failing us and is hurting the people he was elected to help. So we are right here today in Winnebago County, his own backyard, since he won't meet with us face to face,” said Dr. Kristin Lyerly, OB/GYN based in Wisconsin. “I've seen women bleed to the brink of death and women forced to wait in parking lots while lawyers are discussing their fates. That's not fine – that is a five alarm fire in American medicine. And Ron Johnson lit the match, fanned the flames, and now he's telling us to ignore the smoke. He has even openly admitted that he would support a national abortion ban. Ron Johnson, who was elected to serve us, has been failing us since day one and we must continue holding him accountable until we see change in our communities.”

“In 1970, my birth control failed and I became pregnant. Six weeks later, I unfortunately had to travel alone to Mexico City to get an abortion. If Roe had been the law when I needed that care, I wouldn’t have been forced to leave the country to get it. Today, I am grateful that I was able to get the care I needed and make that deeply personal decision for myself. Fast forward to today, I have two healthy children and five beautiful grandchildren,” said Patricia McFarland, a patient storyteller who was forced to travel abroad for abortion care before Roe. “Since Dobbs, we have seen what happens when politicians insert themselves between patients and their doctors. I know other women who have struggled accessing care and I've heard other storytellers share that they could not get abortion care in Wisconsin and had to go to Chicago, putting a lot of stress on their families. Ron Johnson, you need to understand compassion, curiosity, and courage and stand up for women and stop pushing a dangerous extremist agenda that puts lives at risk.”  

“My role includes working with children and families who are navigating our complex health care system to provide care when they need it the most. So, when our Senator Ron Johnson voted to significantly cut federal funding for Badger Care, I became incredibly concerned about the effects on our communities," said Kari Zimbric, a nurse practitioner based in Grafton. “Senator Johnson has chosen to give tax breaks to the wealthy like himself and to large corporations like the ones that fund him at the expense of his constituents, the working families of Wisconsin. Badger Care and other programs under the Wisconsin Medicaid umbrella help children and adults with disabilities have consistent access to healthcare providers, therapists, nursing care, medical equipment, and other home and community based services. Badger also covers many parents in the state of Wisconsin and we all know that our kids are healthier when they have healthy parents.”

“I'm training to become a physician because I want to provide my future patients with the best medical care possible. But right now, the decisions being made by politicians, including Ron Johnson, are increasingly getting in between physicians and their patients. Senator Johnson has supported policies that would restrict access to abortion, including Wisconsin bill, Assembly Bill 975 that would have banned abortion after 14 weeks in the state. He also repeatedly supported legislation to end federal funding for Planned Parenthood,” said Maya Krishna Sabharwal, a medical student in Wisconsin. “I'm here because I want to practice medicine in a country where patients can make decisions about their own bodies alongside their doctors, not politicians making those decisions for them. And I'm here because the physicians we are becoming deserve the freedom to provide the care our patients need.” 

You can watch the event here. If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the event, or learning more about Free & Just, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

ICYMI: Fifth Circuit Hears Arguments in Louisiana v. FDA, the Greatest Threat to Abortion Access Since Dobbs

A ruling could end mail and pharmacy access to medication abortion nationwide; including in states where abortion is legal

WASHINGTON, DC –– This week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit heard oral arguments in Louisiana v. FDA, a case that could restrict access to the medication abortion across the country –– even in states where it is legally protected. The lawsuit, seeks to block patients from accessing medication abortion via mail, is motivated by politics and anti-abortion extremism, not science, and represents one of the greatest threats to abortion access in the US since the Dobbs decision in 2022.  

In response to the latest developments in Louisiana v. FDA, Gowri Buddiga, Campaign Director for Free & Just released the following statement:

“Medication abortion is safe and effective, and that hasn’t changed since its approval over 20 years ago. Any new restrictions on mifepristone would make it harder for people to access abortion care — even in states where it's safeguarded. The reality is, anti-abortion extremists are hellbent on banning abortion nationwide, and this case is yet another example of them leveraging the courts to achieve their dangerous and unpopular agenda.”

Yesterday’s oral arguments came after the Supreme Court temporarily paused the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ May 1 ruling that prohibited patients from receiving abortion medication by mail or at a pharmacy after receiving care through telemedicine. 

Abortion medication is safe, effective, and has been FDA approved for over twenty years. It is currently used in nearly two-thirds of abortions across the country; restricting access to medication abortion could eliminate care for 64.5 million people. Reinstating an in-person requirement for  mifepristone would severely limit patients’ access to this medication abortion — especially Americans in marginalized and rural communities. Ending telehealth and pharmacy access would force many patients to travel hundreds of miles just to receive care, despite leading medical authorities determining that this restriction is not beneficial. 

Bottomline: While medication abortion remains available today, patients and providers are forced to navigate a complex and ever-changing legal landscape as extremists continue efforts to chip away at access to care.

New data from Reproductive Freedom for All and Impact Research finds that Americans across the political spectrum are nearly as opposed to a national abortion ban as they are to middle class tax increases and sweeping cuts to Medicaid. Still, Trump and anti-abortion extremists are weaponizing federal agencies to launch deadly new attacks on access to reproductive health care.

If you are interested in speaking with patients, physicians, or advocates about the implications of today’s SCOTUS action, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

New Ads from Free & Just Urge Mainers to Tell Senator Collins to Protect Abortion Access, Reject Trump’s New FDA Nominee

Six-figure digital buy comes as Senate committee considers advancing nomination of anti-abortion extremist Heidi Overton

MAINE –– Today, Free & Just launched new digital ads urging Mainers to tell Senator Susan Collins to reject Dr. Heidi Overton, an anti-abortion extremist, and President Trump’s pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration. The ads, which are running on digital platforms across Maine, come as the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which Senator Collins sits on, looks to schedule confirmation hearings for Overton. 

In August, President Trump tapped Dr. Heidi Overton, the deputy director of his Domestic Policy Council, to run the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — the agency that decides which medications America's doctors are permitted to prescribe. Overton is a noted anti-abortion extremist, who celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade as "a huge victory for life," dismissed federal legislation protecting abortion rights as "radicalism," and has promoted false claims about the safety of medication abortion that contradict more than two decades of evidence.

“Every woman in Maine remembers what happened the last time Senator Collins took a nominee at their word about Roe," said Gowri Buddiga, Campaign Director at Free & Just. "Heidi Overton has already told us who she is. She's called medication abortion dangerous and she's spent years working to make it harder to get, and she'd be walking into the agency that decides whether Maine women can still fill that prescription. Senator Collins needs to vote no."

If confirmed, Overton could move to restrict access to medication abortion nationwide –– even in states where it is legally protected. In May, former Commissioner Marty Makary resigned under sustained pressure from anti-abortion groups who spent months publicly demanding he be fired for refusing to move faster on restricting mifepristone. Overton has a clear directive from President Trump: Ban access to medication abortion nationwide –– even in states where abortion is legally protected.

 Ad Transcript (30s)

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe, they took our rights away and put millions of women in danger.

Now, Heidi Overton is nominated to lead the FDA and Senator Susan Collins has a choice:

Vote to confirm Overton, an anti-abortion extremist who celebrated the fall of Roe, calling it “a huge victory,” and supports a ban on medication abortion. 

Or stand up for Maine women. 

Tell Senator Collins: Don’t confirm Overton. Don’t put Maine women in danger. 

Ad Transcript (15s)

Senator Collins could decide if this anti-abortion extremist oversees our healthcare at the FDA.

Heidi Overton called the fall of Roe “a huge victory.”

She shouldn’t control our reproductive care.

Tell Senator Collins: Vote no Overton.

If you are interested in connecting with patients, physicians, or experts about what Overton’s nomination means for abortion access across the country, including those living in states where abortion is currently protected, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Free & Just Launches Repro Radar, A Weekly Tracker of Abortion Ad Spending

Repro Radar confirms that abortion and reproductive freedom continue to move Americans across the country

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Free & Just announced the launch of Repro Radar, a new tool to track how much political advertisers are spending on content related to abortion and reproductive rights, delivered weekly on Thursday mornings. The first edition goes out tomorrow, Thursday, September 10, and every Thursday after that through the November 3 election.

Built on data from AdImpact’s ad library, Repro Radar covers the week that ended the previous Sunday and estimates what political advertisers spent on abortion-related ads, which ads ran the most, and where the money went. Repro Radar comes as new data confirms that the conversation around abortion access and reproductive freedom is far from settled. According to research from Kaiser Family Foundation, a majority of voters (57%) say it is “extremely” (27%) or “very important” (31%) for candidates to talk about abortion policy. Every Thursday, Repro Radar will include:

• Estimated spending on abortion-related advertising, broken down by party spending 

• The week’s top ads by estimated spend, with links to the creative

• The districts drawing the most abortion-related ad spending

• Other topics appearing alongside abortion in those ads, such as health care costs, inflation, or contraception

• Week-over-week comparisons as spending climbs toward Election Day

"Campaigns spend money on ads that address the most salient issues for voters, and the data tracked in Repro Radar confirms that abortion is one of those issues," said Gowri Buddiga, Campaign Director, Free & Just. “Free & Just will continue to monitor the conversation around abortion access and reproductive freedom over the next few months, and we are excited to share this important data.”    

MORE ABOUT FREE & JUST’S REPRO RADAR

Repro Radar is based on data from AdImpact’s ad library, which captures broadcast advertising and much — though not all — connected TV (CTV), over-the-top (OTT), and streaming advertising. Spending figures are AdImpact estimates and should be treated as directional, not as advertiser — or platform-reported spending. They are most useful for comparing spending within the same media type, and broadcast estimates are generally more reliable than CTV/OTT/streaming estimates. Ads are identified through automated topic tagging and transcript analysis, so the results may not capture every relevant ad and may include some where abortion is not the primary message.

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Michigan Patients & Advocates Hold Rep. Bill Huizenga and Republican Lawmakers Accountable for Ongoing Attacks on Abortion Care

WATCH THE EVENT HERE

KALAMAZOO, MI –– Today, patient storytellers and local partners joined Free & Just, to highlight how Trump and Republican elected officials are working to ban abortion across the country––even in states where it is legally protected. Together, they set the record straight about what’s at stake for Michiganders’ health and freedom right now.

New data from Reproductive Freedom for All and Impact Research finds that Americans across the political spectrum are nearly as opposed to a national abortion ban as they are to middle class tax increases and sweeping cuts to Medicaid. Still, Trump and Republican lawmakers continue to launch deadly new attacks on access to reproductive health care.

The event followed Free & Just’s Abortion Stories on the Hill, which brought more than 150 patient storytellers, health care providers, and abortion rights advocates, including folks from Michigan, to Washington, DC to share how attacks on abortion and reproductive freedom continue to harm women, families, and communities.

Michiganders continued the conversation at home, and demanded that Republicans in Congress, including Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI-04), stop raising costs, violating our privacy, and making life harder for everyday Americans.

“In 1984, I found out I was pregnant at 17 years old. I didn’t tell my parents that I was pregnant. I was a teenager, scared and just trying to figure out what to do. Thankfully, my cousin lent me the money to get an abortion at 12 weeks. As I think back now, I feel empowered in knowing that I did what was best for me and my life,” said patient storyteller Deborah Harsha. “In 2022, Michiganders voted to put reproductive freedom into our state Constitution. We protected the right to make decisions about pregnancy and abortion without government interference. And our state legislature followed through by repealing Michigan’s old 1931 abortion ban — a law that criminalized abortion and doctors who provided care. Michigan chose freedom, but Republicans in Congress, including Bill Huizenga, continue pushing the opposite agenda. It’s time for our elected officials to stop pushing for a national abortion ban and to decide whether they are going to respect the people of Michigan — or continue fighting to take our freedoms away. ”

“On June 25, 2024, just 18 weeks into my pregnancy, I needed emergency abortion care immediately to save my life. I was turned away at the local Catholic hospital and I was forced to wait 24-hours because of Michigan's mandatory waiting period. Let me be clear: when you're a pregnant woman on a hospital bed suffering excruciating pain and going through the most traumatic experience of your life, 24 hours feels like an eternity,” said patient storyteller Darcy Houchin. “I want Representative Huizenga to understand what his support an anti-abortion agenda means for people like me. It means that history will repeat itself, more women will suffer, and that someone experiencing the same kind of pregnancy emergency I experienced could face even more barriers to getting the care they need. It means that decisions that should belong between patients and their doctors could instead be dictated by anti-abortion politicians who are more concerned with pushing their own agenda.”

“I'm standing here today alongside my children and my grandchildren because when I needed it, I was able to pay for and access an elective abortion early in a pregnancy. Everyone with the capacity to become pregnant should have that right,” said patient storyteller Kim JorgensonGane. “I just turned sixty in July and every decade I'm alive adds another layer to my story. Every day I watch the news and I ask myself, ‘at what point is my mom card full enough? When will I be deemed qualified enough to make decisions for myself and my family? When will my country recognize that the choice I made to end a pregnancy when I was young made me a better mother four times over?’ The truth is, they know all of this and they don't care. They're only interested in controlling women and punishing us for existing.”

You can watch the event here. If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the event, or learning more about Free & Just, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Five Years After SB 8, the Patients Who Sued Texas Say It's Only Gotten Worse

WATCH THE EVENT HERE

HOUSTON, TX –– Today, Amanda Zurawski and Kaitlyn Kash, former plaintiffs in the landmark Zurawski v. Texas lawsuit joined State Senator Nathan Johnson on a panel to discuss what’s next in the fight for abortion access across the Lone Star State. 

The roundtable comes days ahead of the five year anniversary of Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB 8), which banned abortion after approximately six weeks of pregnancy – before many people know they are pregnant.

“As a Senator, I look at what the Attorney General and the Governor are doing, and how they have taken Texas laws, and used them as instruments of terror, intimidation, and harassment,” said State Senator Nathan Johnson, who represents almost a million people in Senate District 16. “The place we are at right now is that a mean and terrifying attitude from elected officials is replacing medical judgement. They need to stay out of the medical decisions and stay out of the personal lives of families. Until we're able to change the narrative and be able to change the way people think about reproductive care, largely through telling stories, we're going to have physicians and hospitals that are afraid to provide the care that right now they legally can provide.” 

“After my daughter was born, I needed a D&C because my placenta wouldn’t come out. It took an hour and 49 minutes. I almost bled out and needed a blood transfusion. My baby’s heart was beating on my husband’s chest while I was being rushed off to an OR where I needed a lifesaving procedure that is also used in abortions, but that machine was locked up,” said Kaitlyn Kash, a mother from Austin who joined the 2023 lawsuit after struggling to access care for a miscarriage and pregnancy complications. “That's why we're here today. We're going to keep talking about the impacts of abortion bans and telling our stories. Yes, abortion is healthcare, but abortion is also a procedure. And the fact that we've let anti-aboriton extremists and politicians define this word to be something that is immoral and bad is now impacting all of our healthcare.”

“I’m continuously shocked by people outside of Texas who hear my story and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I didn’t realize it was that bad. I didn’t realize this was really happening.’ Then there are people in Texas who hear my story and say, ‘How can that happen in my backyard,” said Amanda Zurawski, the lead plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, who sued the state after being denied emergency abortion care in 2022. “I don’t want what happened to me, or to Kaitlyn, or to anyone in this community who needed care to happen to anyone else. But telling our stories, and spotlighting ongoing cases, is what it takes for people to start putting the pieces together. Let’s prevent women and families from having to go through what we went through by continuing to talk about this, explaining what these laws look like in practice, and how they affect us in real life.”

You can watch the panel here. If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the event, or learning more about Free & Just, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

BREAKING: Republican Lawmakers Are Hellbent on Banning Abortion Care Nationwide in Latest Bogus Report

Medication abortion remains on the chopping block for millions of patients

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, Senate HELP Republicans released their latest bogus report further highlighting their commitment to banning abortion nationwide. The report is an amalgamation of misinformation and pseudoscience about medication abortion – which has been proven to be safe and effective for over 25 years – further exposing Republicans’ willingness to weaponize our democratic institutions to advance their extremist anti-abortion agenda.Abortion medication is currently used in nearly two-thirds of abortions across the country; restricting access to medication abortion could eliminate care for 64.5 million people. While medication abortion remains available today, patients and providers are forced to navigate a complex and ever-changing legal landscape as extremists continue efforts to chip away at access to care — even in states where it is legally protected.

New data from Reproductive Freedom for All and Impact Research finds that Americans across the political spectrum are nearly as opposed to a national abortion ban as they are to middle class tax increases and sweeping cuts to Medicaid. Still, Trump and Republican lawmakers are weaponizing federal agencies to launch deadly new attacks on access to reproductive health care. 

In response to this latest report, Gowri Buddiga, Campaign Director for Free & Just released the following statement: 

"Republican lawmakers are pushing junk science and misinformation to justify their relentless efforts to enact a national abortion ban. Let’s be clear — medication abortion is safe, effective, and has proven to help millions of women and patients nationwide. Americans deserve better than extremist politicians willing to put their unpopular agenda ahead of people’s lives, freedom, and wellbeing.” 

If you are interested in connecting with patients, physicians, or advocates about what’s at stake for all Americans, including those living in states where abortion is currently protected, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

NEW AD: WI Mom Forced to Flee the State for Abortion Care Calls Out Congressman Derrick Van Orden for Interfering With In Private Medical Decisions

Anti-abortion extremism leaves patients like Megan Kling without access to health care

WISCONSIN –– In a new digital ad from Free & Just, Megan Kling, a mom from Taylor who needed an abortion after her baby was diagnosed with a rare and fatal condition, is calling out Rep. Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) for urging Wisconsin lawmakers to push new legislation that bans abortion. The ad, which is part of six-figure buy across key congressional districts, comes as attacks on access to all types of reproductive health care continue to escalate.

In 2023, Megan Kling was 21 weeks pregnant with her third child when her baby was diagnosed with bilateral renal agenesis, a rare condition that caused her son to develop without kidneys or a bladder. Devastated by the fatal diagnosis, Megan and her husband sought care to end the pregnancy. At the time, Wisconsin state law prohibited Megan from accessing the care she needed, and she was forced to travel to Minnesota to safely end the pregnancy. 

Wisconsin’s abortion ban forced Megan to end pregnancy far from home and without the support of the doctors she knew and trusted. She was heartbroken, and outraged.  

Congressman Derrick Van Ordern is an anti-abortion extremist hellbent on interfering in the personal, private medical decisions made between women and their doctors. In 2023, after the deadly Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, Rep. Van Orden called for a 15-week abortion ban in Wisconsin.

Following the launch of the ad, Megan Kling released the following statement: 

“I’ve faced ridicule for sharing my story in the past, and have even been targeted by anti-abortion extremist groups. But, I know that I made the right choice for myself, my family, and my son, and I know that there is no place for politicians like Congressman Derrick Van Orden in our deeply personal medical decisions. I am proud to be featured in this ad, and will continue to stand up for everyone who is suffering under abortion bans, including my three daughters.”

Ad Transcript:

I’m grateful to have three beautiful children.

I got a devastating pregnancy diagnosis and had to leave Wisconsin for care.

Healthcare decisions belong to families, not politicians like Derrick Van Orden.

We know what’s right for us. He doesn’t.

If you are interested in speaking with Megan, please  contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

NEW AD: MI Mom Who Needed Emergency Abortion Calls Out Congressman Huizenga’s Support for National Abortion Ban

Anti-abortion extremism leaves patients like Darcy Houchin without access to lifesaving care

MICHIGAN –– In a new digital ad from Free & Just, Darcy Houchin, a mom from Paw Paw who needed an emergency abortion during a medical crisis, is calling out Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI-04) for cosponsoring federal legislation that could effectively ban abortion nationwide. The ad, which is part of six-figure buy across key congressional districts, comes as attacks on access to all types of reproductive health care continue to escalate.

In 2024, Darcy was 18 weeks pregnant when her water broke. At the hospital, doctors told her she needed an emergency abortion to end the pregnancy and protect her health. But because of Michigan's mandatory 24-hour waiting period, Darcy was told she would have to wait before receiving the care she needed.

Later that day, Darcy learned that a state court had issued a preliminary injunction suspending the waiting-period requirement. She was able to receive the abortion that evening. 

Darcy later became pregnant again and gave birth to a son in January 2026.

Rep. Huizenga is a co-sponsor of H.R. 722, the Life at Conception Act, an extreme national abortion ban that contains no explicit exceptions for rape, incest or medical emergencies. In November 2022, just months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Michiganders overwhelmingly voted to approve Proposal 3, enshrining protections for reproductive freedom in the state constitution. 

Following the launch of the ad, Darcy Houchin released the following statement: 

“My family and I endured cruelty because of medically unnecessary abortion restrictions here in Michigan. We carry the trauma of that experience with us every single day. Our pain is compounded by every senseless new attack on reproductive freedom launched by politicians like Congressman Bill Huizenga. Abortion bans are killing women and causing generational harm to families across this country. I will continue to share my story and stand up to the lawmakers who think they know better than medical experts.” 

 Ad Transcript:

After years of trying, I was thrilled to be pregnant.

But something went really wrong.

I needed an emergency abortion to save my life.

Bill Huizenga supports an abortion ban that would risk the lives of women like me.

If you are interested in speaking with Darcy, please  contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.