Rep. Harshbarger Reintroduces Pro-Life Legislation

Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) reintroduced pro-life legislation that overturns Biden-era FDA policy, which allowed mifepristone, a potentially dangerous drug used for chemical abortions, to be prescribed without an in-person visit to a doctor, available via mail order. This bill will also prevent the federal government from putting a similar rule in place in the future.

The original cosponsors of the legislation are as follows:

  • Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK)
  • Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL)
  • Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL)
  • Rep. Randy Webber (R-TX)
  • Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX)
  • Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI)
  • Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL)
  • Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN)
  • Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA)
  • Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA)
  • Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN)
  • Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ)
  • Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL)
  • Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS)

This legislation is endorsed by the following organizations:

  • Concerned Women for America
  • Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America
  • Americans United for Life
  • Heritage Action
  • Students for Life Action
  • Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
  • Family Research Council
  • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Rep. Diana Harshbarger issued the following statement.

"Roe may have been overturned, but there is still an incredible amount of work to do for the pro-life movement, and this bill is a crucial piece of that puzzle. Mifepristone is potentially dangerous and isn't a drug that should be easily prescribed, especially since its primary use is for chemical abortions. Simply put, getting a chemical abortion shouldn't be as easy as ordering something on Amazon, and with this legislation, it won't be."

Statements of support:

"By treating dangerous abortion pills like cold medicine, the FDA set a dangerous precedent that puts political convenience over any standards of care. The health of American women is too important to allow such reckless rulemaking to stand. It ignores the overwhelming medical risks associated with abortion drugs, leaving a woman to deal with these complications alone in her home. It is cruel and insulting, and women deserve better. That’s why Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee is proud to support Congresswoman Harshbarger’s bill that advances real care for women.” —Penny Nance, President & CEO, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee

"The Biden-Harris FDA betrayed women and girls when it removed its own safety standards to push dangerous abortion drugs. We applaud Rep. Harshbarger for pushing back on the actions of the previous administration and introducing this legislation to undo the FDA's reckless action that has put the lives of women and their unborn children at risk."— Hon. Marilyn Musgrave, Vice President of Government Affairs, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America

“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ disdain for women can be clearly seen in their support of rejecting health and safety standards for Chemical Abortion Pills, known as REMS (Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategy). One does not need to be pro-life to know that removing safeguards to protect women from the dangers of DIY chemical abortions is disgustingly neglectful. No Test, Online Distribution of Chemical Abortion Pills exposes women to injury, infertility, death, and even abusers who use these pills against mothers without their knowledge or consent. Students for Life Action supports Rep. Harshbarger's bill to nullify the Biden Administration’s elimination of the safeguards and doctor supervision requirements designed to protect the women exposed to these deadly Chemical Abortion Pills. In fact, Students for Life’s January 2025 YouGov/Survey USA poll shows that registered Millennial and Gen Z  voters support these protections by more than 9 in 10." Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life Action & Students for Life of America

"There is considerable evidence that demonstrates the do-it-yourself mifepristone abortions are money makers for the abortion industry that cares nothing of the dangers the drug poses to both unborn children and their mothers. Putting pharmacies on the front lines of distributing abortion pills—without any concern for how this move will impact moms — was reckless and harmful to women. We are grateful to pro-life leaders like Representative Harshbarger for their work to ensure Congress takes back its role of providing oversight to the FDA and restoring true health and safety measures for all Americans, including the unborn." — Mary Szoch, Director of the Center for Human Dignity, Family Research Council

BACKGROUND:

The Biden Administration's Food and Drug Administration moved to formally eliminate in-person distribution of mifepristone, expanding the drug market for chemical abortion drugs to include retail pharmacies AND by mail order.

Multiple peer-reviewed studies confirm that women are at risk of severe side effects after taking chemical abortion pills — including hemorrhaging, the need for follow-up surgery, and even death. Studies have also found that after a chemical abortion, there is a 53% greater risk of an emergency room visit for abortion complications than after a surgical abortion.

Rep. Harshbarger's legislation nullifies the FDA's rule change to the risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) for the abortion pill mifepristone. It also ends the ability for retail pharmacies and mail order services from distributing this chemical abortion drug, returning to in-person dispensing of the drug, and prevents the Department of Health and Human Services from establishing and enforcing any substantially similar provision of a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy for mifepristone.

Click HERE to view the bill text.


This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://harshbarger.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-harshbarger-reintroduces-pro-life-legislation