U.S. Sens. Fetterman, Casey Slam Controversial TX Abortion Drug Ruling

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pennsylvania Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman have sharply criticized a federal judge's ruling that suspended the federal Food & Drug Administration's approval of the nation's most widely-used pregnancy termination method.

Matthew Kacsmaryk, a U.S. District Court judge in Texas appointed by former President Donald Trump, on Friday sided with anti-abortion groups that challenged the federal regulation of mifepristone, also known as Mifegyne. The groups argued that federal approval of the pills in 2000 was unlawful, as was the FDA allowing them to be prescribed via telemedicine and dispensed via retail pharmacies.

Kacsmaryk's ruling applies to the distribution of mifepristone nationwide. The judge paused his ruling for a week to allow the federal government to appeal, which the Justice Department and drug manufacturer Danco Laborotories have done.

Casey and Fetterman, both Democrats, slammed Kacsmaryk's decision.

"An ideological judge overturning an FDA decision is dangerous, unprecedented, and extreme," Casey said. "This ruling is a back-door attempt by right-wing politicians to implement a nationwide abortion ban."

Said Fetterman: "This ruling by a hard-right Trump appointed judge is simply (B.S.).

"This is nothing more than another attempt by the GOP to take away the rights of women and implement a nationwide abortion ban. Mifepristone remains safe and legal in PA. We will fight this, and we will win."

Kacsmaryk's ruling follows last summer's U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that the Constitution generally protects a pregnant woman's right to have an abortion.

In a statement an issued Friday, President Joe Biden vowed to fight the ruling.

"The court in this case has substituted its judgment for FDA, the expert agency that approves drugs," he said. "If this ruling were to stand, then there will be virtually no prescription, approved by the FDA, that would be safe from these kinds of political, ideological attacks.

"This does not just affect women in Texas – if it stands, it would prevent women in every state from accessing the medication, regardless of whether abortion is legal in a state. It is the next big step toward the national ban on abortion that Republican elected officials have vowed to make law in America."

The Department of Justice has sought an immediate stay of the judicial edict.

Republican leaders such as U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have not commented publicly on the ruling.