Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 26, 2023.
AOC Warns of 'National Abortion Ban' if Supreme Court Upholds Mifepristone Ruling
The New York congresswoman called Friday's decision by a Trump-appointed federal judge invalidating the FDA's approval of the abortion medication "an extreme abuse of power" and "an extraordinary example of judicial overreach."
Progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned Sunday that if the U.S. Supreme Court upholds a right-wing federal judge's ruling banning access to abortion pills, "it would essentially institute a national abortion ban."
In an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) doubled down on her earlier call for the Biden administration to ignore a ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk—an appointee of former President Donald Trump—declaring the FDA's approval of mifepristone to be illegal.
The agency approved the medication, one of two drugs used for medically induced abortions, in 2000. Millions of people have safely used mifepristone since then, and in January the FDA announced it could be sold in retail pharmacies.
"The reality of our courts right now is very disturbing. This ruling is an extreme abuse of power. It is an extraordinary example of judicial overreach," Ocasio-Cortez told host Dana Bash. "I do not believe that the courts have the authority over the FDA that they just asserted and I do believe that it creates a crisis."
Clarence Thomas defends lavish vacations. Hear AOC's responsewww.youtube.com
"Once you start banning medication abortion, which represents the overwhelming number of abortions in the United States, then we are in extremely dangerous territory," Ocasio-Cortez argued.
Ocasio-Cortez added that if the Supreme Court affirms Kacsmaryk's ruling, "it would essentially institute a national abortion ban, because you have an extraordinary amount of states who have implemented surgical bans or bans after very early time periods."
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra also appeared on "State of the Union" Sunday, telling Bash that "we want the courts to overturn this reckless decision."
"Everything is on the table. The president said that way back when the Dobbs decision came out. Every option is on the table," he added, referring to Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the 2022 Supreme Court decision invalidating half a century of federal abortion rights.
On the same day as Kacsmaryk's decision, U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice in Washington state issued a contradictory ruling that blocks the FDA from removing mifepristone from the market.
Ocasio-Cortez isn't the only congressional Democrat calling on the Biden administration to ignore the Texas ruling.
"I think there's no basis for this ruling in law, and I think that the Biden administration can and must ignore the judge and keep mifepristone on the market and this medication available for every woman in America," Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told KATU Friday.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday that the Justice Department "strongly disagrees" with Kacsmaryk's ruling and will appeal the decision.
On Saturday, more than 40 House Democrats urged President Joe Biden to "use all the tools at your disposal to protect access to abortion and reproductive healthcare."
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just four days to go in our Spring Campaign, we are not even halfway to our goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned Sunday that if the U.S. Supreme Court upholds a right-wing federal judge's ruling banning access to abortion pills, "it would essentially institute a national abortion ban."
In an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) doubled down on her earlier call for the Biden administration to ignore a ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk—an appointee of former President Donald Trump—declaring the FDA's approval of mifepristone to be illegal.
The agency approved the medication, one of two drugs used for medically induced abortions, in 2000. Millions of people have safely used mifepristone since then, and in January the FDA announced it could be sold in retail pharmacies.
"The reality of our courts right now is very disturbing. This ruling is an extreme abuse of power. It is an extraordinary example of judicial overreach," Ocasio-Cortez told host Dana Bash. "I do not believe that the courts have the authority over the FDA that they just asserted and I do believe that it creates a crisis."
Clarence Thomas defends lavish vacations. Hear AOC's responsewww.youtube.com
"Once you start banning medication abortion, which represents the overwhelming number of abortions in the United States, then we are in extremely dangerous territory," Ocasio-Cortez argued.
Ocasio-Cortez added that if the Supreme Court affirms Kacsmaryk's ruling, "it would essentially institute a national abortion ban, because you have an extraordinary amount of states who have implemented surgical bans or bans after very early time periods."
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra also appeared on "State of the Union" Sunday, telling Bash that "we want the courts to overturn this reckless decision."
"Everything is on the table. The president said that way back when the Dobbs decision came out. Every option is on the table," he added, referring to Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the 2022 Supreme Court decision invalidating half a century of federal abortion rights.
On the same day as Kacsmaryk's decision, U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice in Washington state issued a contradictory ruling that blocks the FDA from removing mifepristone from the market.
Ocasio-Cortez isn't the only congressional Democrat calling on the Biden administration to ignore the Texas ruling.
"I think there's no basis for this ruling in law, and I think that the Biden administration can and must ignore the judge and keep mifepristone on the market and this medication available for every woman in America," Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told KATU Friday.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday that the Justice Department "strongly disagrees" with Kacsmaryk's ruling and will appeal the decision.
On Saturday, more than 40 House Democrats urged President Joe Biden to "use all the tools at your disposal to protect access to abortion and reproductive healthcare."
- Texas Woman's Near-Death Experience Is What GOP 'Hopes to See Nationwide' ›
- New Senate Report Spotlights 'Barbaric Consequences' of GOP Abortion Bans ›
- House GOP Begins March Toward Nationwide Abortion Ban With Two 'Absurd' Proposals ›
- Advocates Warn Medication Abortion Still at 'Severe Risk' Despite High Court Reprieve ›
- 'He Needs to Be Investigated': Abortion Case Judge Potentially Hid Law Review Article From Senate ›
- Abortion Rights Supporters Protest at US Supreme Court, Nationwide ›
- 'Not Out of the Woods Yet': Supreme Court Maintains Abortion Pill Access—For Now ›
- 'I Cried for Joy': Texas Judge Blocks Texas Abortion Ban for Dangerous Pregnancies ›
- Appeals Court Upholds Restrictions on Mifepristone—But Abortion Pill Remains Available for Now ›
- SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Case That Could Limit Abortion Pill Access ›
- Abortion Defenders Decry 'Baseless' Attack on Mifepristone as SCOTUS Hears Case ›
Progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned Sunday that if the U.S. Supreme Court upholds a right-wing federal judge's ruling banning access to abortion pills, "it would essentially institute a national abortion ban."
In an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) doubled down on her earlier call for the Biden administration to ignore a ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk—an appointee of former President Donald Trump—declaring the FDA's approval of mifepristone to be illegal.
The agency approved the medication, one of two drugs used for medically induced abortions, in 2000. Millions of people have safely used mifepristone since then, and in January the FDA announced it could be sold in retail pharmacies.
"The reality of our courts right now is very disturbing. This ruling is an extreme abuse of power. It is an extraordinary example of judicial overreach," Ocasio-Cortez told host Dana Bash. "I do not believe that the courts have the authority over the FDA that they just asserted and I do believe that it creates a crisis."
Clarence Thomas defends lavish vacations. Hear AOC's responsewww.youtube.com
"Once you start banning medication abortion, which represents the overwhelming number of abortions in the United States, then we are in extremely dangerous territory," Ocasio-Cortez argued.
Ocasio-Cortez added that if the Supreme Court affirms Kacsmaryk's ruling, "it would essentially institute a national abortion ban, because you have an extraordinary amount of states who have implemented surgical bans or bans after very early time periods."
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra also appeared on "State of the Union" Sunday, telling Bash that "we want the courts to overturn this reckless decision."
"Everything is on the table. The president said that way back when the Dobbs decision came out. Every option is on the table," he added, referring to Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the 2022 Supreme Court decision invalidating half a century of federal abortion rights.
On the same day as Kacsmaryk's decision, U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice in Washington state issued a contradictory ruling that blocks the FDA from removing mifepristone from the market.
Ocasio-Cortez isn't the only congressional Democrat calling on the Biden administration to ignore the Texas ruling.
"I think there's no basis for this ruling in law, and I think that the Biden administration can and must ignore the judge and keep mifepristone on the market and this medication available for every woman in America," Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told KATU Friday.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday that the Justice Department "strongly disagrees" with Kacsmaryk's ruling and will appeal the decision.
On Saturday, more than 40 House Democrats urged President Joe Biden to "use all the tools at your disposal to protect access to abortion and reproductive healthcare."
- Texas Woman's Near-Death Experience Is What GOP 'Hopes to See Nationwide' ›
- New Senate Report Spotlights 'Barbaric Consequences' of GOP Abortion Bans ›
- House GOP Begins March Toward Nationwide Abortion Ban With Two 'Absurd' Proposals ›
- Advocates Warn Medication Abortion Still at 'Severe Risk' Despite High Court Reprieve ›
- 'He Needs to Be Investigated': Abortion Case Judge Potentially Hid Law Review Article From Senate ›
- Abortion Rights Supporters Protest at US Supreme Court, Nationwide ›
- 'Not Out of the Woods Yet': Supreme Court Maintains Abortion Pill Access—For Now ›
- 'I Cried for Joy': Texas Judge Blocks Texas Abortion Ban for Dangerous Pregnancies ›
- Appeals Court Upholds Restrictions on Mifepristone—But Abortion Pill Remains Available for Now ›
- SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Case That Could Limit Abortion Pill Access ›
- Abortion Defenders Decry 'Baseless' Attack on Mifepristone as SCOTUS Hears Case ›