Suffolk Reporter

As the deadline for a potential government shutdown looms, a group of Republican House members, led by Rep. Nick LaLota, are opposing the current form of the FDA and Department of Agriculture appropriations bill. Their opposition stems from their desire to maintain President Biden's executive order that expands access to chemical abortion pills through mail without a medical consultation. However, research has shown that these pills are more than four times as dangerous as other abortion methods.

According to a report from the Daily Beast, LaLota is among a few House Republicans who are against the amendment necessary to fund the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture. The main point of contention in the bill is a provision aimed at nullifying a Biden administration rule that allowed the sale of mifeprestone, a pill used for chemical abortions, in retail pharmacies.

A study published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists revealed that the complication rate for chemical abortions is four times higher than that of surgical abortions. Initially, the use of mifeprestone was limited to the first seven weeks of pregnancy and required three in-person office visits, with the process closely supervised by doctors. However, earlier this year, the FDA quietly updated its website to reflect that the drug could be dispensed at retail pharmacies without making a formal announcement.

In June of this year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law providing legal protections to New York doctors and drug manufacturers that prescribe and ship abortion pills across state lines, particularly to states where they are banned, according to the Associated Press. Under the law, local prosecutors and state agencies would be prohibited from assisting in any abortion-related criminal investigations without a court order.

Rep. LaLota and a group of House Republicans are opposing the FDA and Department of Agriculture appropriations bill in order to maintain President Biden's executive order expanding access to mail-order abortion pills. Despite their efforts, research shows that these pills pose a higher risk of complications compared to other abortion methods. As the deadline for a government shutdown approaches, the fate of the appropriations bill and the broader implications of the disagreement remain uncertain.

If the longer-term appropriations bills are not passed by September 30th, a government shutdown will be initiated on October 1st, as reported by Newsweek.