U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today said she is undeterred in her efforts to protect the lives of women by controlling the distribution of chemical abortion drugs, despite Senate Democrats blocking her legislation to restore basic federal guidelines for the use of abortion pills.
Hyde-Smith today sought a unanimous consent agreement for the Senate to call up and pass the Support and Value Expectant (SAVE) Moms and Babies Act (S.3072). Prior to her request, the Mississippi Senator presented arguments on the need to protect women from the serious risk of complications and life-threatening side effects of the abortion drug, mifepristone.
“Twenty years ago this month, the Food and Drug Administration approved for the very first time the abortion pill known as mifepristone,” Hyde-Smith said. “When the FDA approved this drug, it recognized the serious risk of complications and life-threatening side effects that can be caused by this drug. Because of the risk of harm and even death, the FDA put in place certain rules to protect the health of women.”
This summer a federal judge in Maryland issued a nationwide injunction cancelling the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) rules intended to protect women seeking the abortion pill by requiring physician involvement and education about the potentially lethal side effects of the prescription.
“Even with the REMS rules in place to protect women’s health, a substantial number of women end up needing life-saving surgery or blood transfusion following chemical abortion. Sadly, some women have even died from these dangerous drugs,” Hyde-Smith said. “Make no mistake: No protections mean more adverse events for women. No REMS protections mean at-home abortion without medical oversight, putting women at risk of bleeding out and dying alone without a doctor to help her.”
Hyde-Smith was joined by several of her colleagues who favor passage of the SAVE Moms and Babies Act, including Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.).
Following the blocking of her bill, Hyde-Smith objected to a counter measure offered by Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
“I agree with the Senator from Washington State that FDA and HHS should do this work based on scientific evidence. That’s exactly what happened in 2000 when Clinton Administration FDA scientists looked at the evidence and decided these REMS rules were needed to protect women from the dangers of this abortion drug,” Hyde-Smith said.
“We can’t let Senate Democrats change the subject by trying to bring up another bill that is not related to these REMS protections whatsoever. We can’t let them try to change the subject from women’s health to their latest conspiracy theory about the President,” she said. “Therefore, I object.”
Twenty-four Senators have cosponsored S.3072, including Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). The Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), March for Life Action, National Right to Life, Family Research Council, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are among the groups that support the bill.
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Release from Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith.
