Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Mini Timmaraju, Patients, and Providers Respond to Latest in Plot to Ban Medication Abortion
WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO, Reproductive Freedom for All, joined Free & Just, patients and legal experts to discuss the latest in Louisiana v. FDA, the largest threat to abortion access since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
On May 11, the US Supreme Court extended the administrative stay issued on May 4, temporarily restoring access to mifepristone. The Court’s administrative stay ends Thursday, May 14 at 5pm ET, when the Court could make a ruling on whether the in-person dispensing requirements can be reimposed while the case proceeds. Right now, access to care for more than 64.5 million people across the country hangs in the balance as judges and politicians work to ban abortion nationwide.
“Louisiana’s attempt to reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement for abortion medication is not about safety –– it’s about limiting access to the reproductive health care that patients need, when they need it,” said Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who chairs the Abortion Rights and Access Task Force of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus. “I almost died in childbirth when I developed placenta previa, and I was grateful that my doctor could make the decision that she felt was necessary at that moment – without fear of prosecution. Today, my daughter and millions of others do not have that peace of mind.”
“Republican lawmakers know this is a losing issue for them, and it seems they’re only accountable to anti-abortion extremist groups –– not their own constituents, the majority of whom support legal access to abortion,” said Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. “This administration wants it both ways – they want to cater to extremists, but they don’t want to be caught doing it.”
“When I traveled to Washington to get the care I needed after Idaho’s trigger ban was put in place, I received abortion medications to induce labor, which is common in situations like mine,” said Kayla Smith, who moved her family from Idaho to Washington after being forced to flee the state for lifesaving abortion care. “We know that these medications are safe and everyone who needs them should have access. Denying access to medication abortion via mail is completely unnecessary, asinine, and will only make things worse for women and patients across the country — including in states like Washington.”
“For some reason, women’s health is inherently political in this country. Politicians are acting as if they know more about practicing medicine than health care providers — but they don’t,” said Dr. Kristin Lyerly, an OB/GYN and advocate from Wisconsin. “Mifepristone is safe and it is effective. It has a 25 year track record in this country and has been more studied than most medications on the market. When somebody is telling you otherwise, they are not following science, they are following a political agenda.”
If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.
You can watch the virtual press event here, and learn more about how Republican officials plan to restrict reproductive freedom here.
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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.