East Hudson Valley News

As the deadline for a government shutdown looms, a group of Republican House members, led by Rep. Mike Lawler, are opposing the current form of the FDA and Department of Agriculture appropriations bill. Their opposition stems from their support for President Biden's executive order that expanded access to chemical abortion pills by mail without a medical consultation. This move has been met with criticism, as research has shown that these pills are more than four times more dangerous than other abortion methods.

According to a report from the Daily Beast, Lawler is among a few House Republicans who are against the amendment required to fund the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture. The main point of contention for these members is a provision that nullifies a Biden administration rule allowing mifeprestone, a pill used for chemical abortions, to be sold in retail pharmacies.

The complication rate for a chemical abortion is significantly higher than that of a surgical abortion, as revealed by a study published in the official journal of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Initially, mifeprestone could only be used up to seven weeks into pregnancy and required three in-person office visits. However, the FDA quietly updated their website earlier this year, allowing the drugs to be dispensed at retail pharmacies.

In June of this year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law providing legal protections to New York doctors and drug manufacturers that prescribe and ship abortion pills across state lines, particularly to states where they are banned, according to the Associated Press. Under the law, local prosecutors and state agencies would be prohibited from assisting in any abortion-related criminal investigations without a court order. This move further complicates the debate surrounding the FDA and Department of Agriculture appropriations bill.

If the longer-term appropriations bills are not passed by September 30th, a government shutdown will commence on October 1st, as reported by Newsweek. The outcome of this standoff between Republican lawmakers and the Biden administration regarding abortion regulations remains uncertain as the deadline approaches.