Minnesota governor joins amicus brief urging SCOTUS to maintain access to abortion pill
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday announced he's joined many other governors across the country in filing an amicus curiae brief in an effort to protect abortion access nationwide.
Walz says the filing is with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Food and Drug Administration, et al. v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine. The brief argues that a decision upholding a Fifth Circuit decision would have "far-reaching implications beyond reproductive healthcare" and would "undermine" the state's ability to to provide adequate healthcare services.
In December, SCOTUS said it would take up the Biden administration's bid to maintain access to a widely-used abortion pill, marking the first dispute involving abortion that the high court will hear since members of its conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Brought by a group of doctors and medical associations opposed to abortion rights, the outcome of the case could have far-reaching consequences by restricting how the drug mifepristone can be obtained, who can prescribe it and when it can be taken.
"Health care decisions should be guided by science and expertise, not politics. Minnesotans deserve access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care services so they can make the best decisions for their own health after consulting qualified medical professionals," Walz said. "Women in this country deserve the best care possible. This case represents a grave threat to that fundamental right."
The brief argues that mifepristone is safe, highly effective and a vital component of the reproductive healthcare system in states where abortion remains legal.
"Any rollback on access to mifepristone would cause major disruptions to state healthcare systems, further strain providers, and pose serious health risks to millions of women," a press release from the governor's office said. "This lawsuit threatens to upend the federal FDA review process - a time-tested gold standard for rigor and risk mitigation - that Governors rely on to protect the health and well-being of their constituents."
— NOTE: Video is from Jan. 4, 2024