Joco Today

April 20, 2023, Representative Sharice Davids appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” to discuss recent extreme actions meant to limit Kansans’ access to reproductive health care. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Texas made an unprecedented legal decision to reject FDA approval of mifepristone, a medication that was approved decades ago and is used in more than 60 countries to safely end pregnancy. After an appeals court ruled in favor of restricting access to the drug, the United States Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case later this week. 

Watch: Davids speaks on the potential mifepristone ban following Kansas’ rejection of restrictions to reproductive health care in August

During the segment, Davids said, “We would think that knowing so many people disagree with taking these extreme steps into inserting politicians into very private decisions would have been quashed because of the last election. In Kansas, we fought very hard to push back on a constitutional amendment that would open the doors to some of these extreme measures… We’re hearing loudly and clearly that what folks want are their rights to be protected. They don’t want their kids to have less rights then they did.”

Last week, Davids and 239 other Members of Congress filed an amicus brief supporting an appeal of the recent Texas district court case that revoked FDA approval of mifepristone, a safe and effective medication used by millions of women. If the decision goes into effect and the FDA no longer allows the prescription of mifepristone, access to the widely-used medication would be restricted in all states, regardless of their individual laws regarding abortion access and reproductive care.

In Kansas, voters overwhelmingly voted to protect the right to access abortion in the state by defeating an anti-choice constitutional amendment in August. Additionally, a Kansas judge ruled late last year that health care providers are allowed to prescribe medication abortion, such as mifepristone, through telemedicine. Despite that ruling and the landslide pro-choice results of the August special election, Kansas state lawmakers continue to introduce legislation to ban the medication and further restrict access to reproductive health care.

Several organizations of medical experts have come out in strong opposition to the Texas decision, including the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In their statements, these groups note that this decision poses a significant threat to the FDA’s ability to review and approve a wide range of safe and effective medications. The U.S. Department of Justice has announced it will be appealing the decision and seeking a stay pending that appeal. Read the full amicus brief here, and Davids’ statement on the Texas ruling here.

Original source can be found here.