Press Release Virginia
ICYMI
ICYMI: Mini Timmaraju Breaks Down Louisiana v. FDA and Impact on Midterm Elections with Katie Phang and Jessica Valenti
ICYMI: Mini Timmaraju Breaks Down Louisiana v. FDA and Impact on Midterm Elections with Katie Phang and Jessica Valenti
This week, Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju joined Katie Phang and Jessica Valenti for an in-depth discussion on Louisiana v. FDA and how it has elevated abortion as a front burner issue ahead of upcoming midterms.
Last week, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit sided with anti-abortion extremists in Louisiana v. FDA and reinstated medically unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone nationwide—even in states where abortion is protected. On Monday, the Supreme Court issued a temporary stay to restore access to mifepristone until May 11 while they review emergency appeals.
As Timmaraju, Phang, and Valenti discussed, this back-and-forth in the courts goes beyond one case—it reaffirms that anti-abortion extremists are escalating efforts to ban abortion nationwide. This case is part of broader, coordinated efforts to chip away at abortion access—from the courts, to Congress and state legislatures, and at every level of government.
“I think we know that for the anti-abortion movement, this has been their long game for a long time, right? They’re not going to rest until they have restricted, and frankly, banned mifepristone,” Timmaraju said. “This is the biggest setback for abortion rights since Dobbs. I think it’s pretty clear what their arguments are going to be—that they’re going to continue to attack medication abortion specifically based on junk science, scare tactics, and fear-mongering about the safety and efficacy of mifepristone.”
In January, the Trump administration asked a federal district court in Louisiana to pause this lawsuit until after the FDA completes its baseless, politically motivated “review” of mifepristone, and Trump’s allies have continued to advance attacks on mifepristone through federal agencies and Congress.
“The anti-abortion movement has really been relentless with this particular issue and with mifepristone and telehealth access to mifepristone. We’re in a moment right now where nearly 30% of abortions in the US are being provided by telehealth,” Valenti said. “And the anti-abortion movement is so upset and so pissed off about that because it means that all of these women in those banned states are sidestepping their laws. They hate women breaking their rules. They hate that this is happening. And so they’ve come at it from all of these different angles.”
As the courts, the White House, and anti-abortion lawmakers continue to mount increasing attacks, voters are once again being reminded that access to abortion remains on the ballot. Midterm elections will determine whether these rights are protected, or whether they are further eroded—and whether the extremists advancing these attacks will be held accountable.
“Folks felt ‘leave [abortion] to the states’ meant that if they went to the ballot and voted to protect it in their state, they were protected. Now, all these actions against medication abortion prove the exact opposite. And it’s our job to go back to those voters and say, [Trump] lied to you—lied to you about so many things,” Timmaraju said. “And he knows this. That is why they are trying so hard not to be caught doing it. But his own admin is filled with anti-abortion extremists implementing Project 2025, which has all of these plans laid out in plain sight.”
Listen to Timmaraju, Phang, and Valenti discuss these attacks here.
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For over 55 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.