Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) introduced the Protecting Life from Chemical Abortions Act, which will prevent the Executive Branch from declaring an abortion-related public health emergency. Second, this legislation reinstates safety regulations and in-person dispensing requirements for dangerous chemical abortions. It further bars the FDA from waiving these protections in the future.

“June’s monumental pro-life victory in the Dobbs v. JacksonSupreme Court case provided us with an opportunity to save millions of lives across the United States” said Rep. Hern. “President Biden’s abuse of executive power has gone on long enough. Biden’s pattern is alarming; time and time again, he disregards the rule of law to cave to the radical left’s demands. It’s time to restore order and integrity.  I’m proud to introduce this legislation to push back against executive overreach & protect life across the country!”

Rep. Hern’s legislation has earned praise from leaders of the pro-life movement.

“President Biden’s FDA abused their public health emergency authority to advance this administration’s radical abortion agenda, recklessly abandoning safety regulations for chemical abortion, leaving women to have dangerous at home abortions without sufficient health and safety screening,” said Hon. Marilyn Musgrave, vice president of government affairs for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. “We thank Congressman Hern for this thoughtful proposal that rolls back the FDA’s overstep and includes necessary abortion reporting requirements to protect unborn children and their mothers.”

“President Biden abused a public health emergency declaration for COVID-19 to advance his pro-abortion agenda,” said Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America, the nation’s largest women’s public policy organization. “Caving to pressure from activist groups like Planned Parenthood, ACLU, and others, his Administration removed safety guidelines that protect women from taking mail-order abortion drugs outside the oversight or care of a doctor. This is reckless and puts lives of women and their unborn children at serious health risk. No President should have the authority to abuse a public health emergency.  I support Rep. Hern’s bill because it will prevent this abuse.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In April 2021, the Biden Administration relaxed enforcement of safety protocols for chemical abortions, increasing the risk to women who take abortion pills. Multiple studies have shown that complications in chemical abortions are four times more frequent than surgical abortions. Removal of FDA guidelines will put more women in danger. 

In December 2021, the Biden Administration formally changed those same guidelines to remove safety protocols for chemical abortions. 

Rep. Hern’s bill reinstates those safety protocols and prevents the Biden Administration – or any future President – from abusing a public health emergency to eliminate those protocols. 

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