(The Center Square) – North Carolina’s congressional Democrats praised a temporary victory at the U.S. Supreme Court while Republicans were silent Thursday.
By limiting the scope considered on the hot-button issue of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone, the court was unanimous on the legal issue of standing – saying 9-0 there is none – and reached no judgment. Thus, the case could resurface and the drug can continue to be used.
It was the high court’s first opinion on abortion since the June 2022 announcement overturning Roe v. Wade.
On the state level, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein joined the chorus. Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson didn’t issue a statement or comment on social media. Stein and Robinson are dueling for the governor’s chair in November.
The following are selected comments from those commenting on the Supreme Court decision:
“Today’s SCOTUS decision is a major win for women’s rights and reproductive health care,” said U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel, D-N.C. “Keeping mifepristone available ensures safe, science-based options when women need them. The fight isn’t over. We must keep pushing back against efforts to restrict access to abortion care.”
U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C., said, “Women should always be empowered to make their own health care decisions and have access to the medications they need. That includes mifepristone.”
U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning, D-N.C., “Since receiving FDA approval over two decades ago, mifepristone has been proven safe and effective. Today’s Supreme Court decision means that women can continue to access this widely used, FDA-approved form of abortion medication. It also preserves the FDA’s drug approval authority, which is critical to ensuring the health of all Americans who take medications. While this decision is a victory for women’s health, this case clearly lacked standing, should have never been heard, and demonstrated the extreme steps anti-choice Republicans will take to control women’s bodies and undermine faith in scientific institutions.”
U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee, D-N.C., said, “Today’s unanimous Supreme Court decision is a resounding victory over extremist attempts to restrict women’s health care. But our fight for reproductive freedom is far from over. I will continue to defend access to safe abortion care.”
U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, D-N.C., said, “This fight is far from over. The Supreme Court rejected this challenge based on a lack of standing, leaving the door open to future decisions on the merits. Women shouldn’t be forced to contend with relentless threats to their reproductive health care, and our courts should not be the final arbiter of access.
“This case should have been dismissed by the trial court. While there will undoubtedly be renewed attacks on mifepristone and women’s access to abortion in North Carolina and across the country, we will never give up in the fight to protect a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body and her own health care.”
Cooper said, “Today’s decision is critical for protecting access to reproductive health care and confirming that extremist political beliefs cannot be used to stop a woman from getting safe, effective health care. But with Republicans at every level, including here in North Carolina, still working to take away this fundamental freedom we cannot let our guard down. Women should be in charge of their own personal medical decisions, and I’ll continue pushing to protect abortion access in North Carolina.”
Stein said, “Women in North Carolina need to know that medication abortion is still available. It’s also safe, effective, and has been used for decades. I am going to keep fighting to make sure women can continue to get safe medical care.”
