Daily Skimm: As states duel over FDA's approval of mifepristone, states are scrambling to stock up on the drug

State of Confusion

The Story

The nation is scrambling after multiple rulings on medication abortion.

What’s the latest?

The fate of mifepristone has been up in the air ever since federal judges in Washington and Texas issued dueling rulings on the abortion pill. For now, mifepristone is still available, but that could all change if the Texas ruling goes into effect on Friday. Now, amid the uncertainty and confusion, several states and the federal government are taking steps to try to maintain abortion pill access for more than 40 million women. Here’s who's weighing in…

The Justice Dept…Yesterday, the Biden admin asked a federal appeals court to pause the Texas ruling to give the case more time to go through the appeal process. One of the manufacturers of mifepristone made a similar ask. If the appeals court says ‘no can do,’ then the DOJ could ask the Supreme Court to intervene. The Biden admin also asked the federal judge in Washington to give some insight on how the gov can respond to his order, if the Texas ruling is upheld.

The states…Yesterday, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said California's stockpiling up to 2 million pills of misoprostol (a drug that can end pregnancies on its own). Massachusetts announced that it already purchased 15,000 mifepristone pills to keep on hand — which is more than a year’s worth of doses. And last week, Washington state said it bought enough mifepristone for about three years. Meanwhile, some clinics said they'll continue to prescribe mifepristone until the FDA tells them otherwise.

The pharma industry...Nearly 300 pharma execs and health experts — including Pfizer and Merck — signed an open letter speaking out against the Texas ruling. They said the decision “undermined the bipartisan authority granted by Congress” to the FDA and “ignores decades of scientific evidence and legal precedent.” Some Democrats and one Republican lawmaker said the federal government should ignore the Texas decision. Meanwhile, other Republican lawmakers have stayed largely silent on the rulings.

theSkimm

Reproductive health care for women continues to be a battleground. As states figure out what comes next, it means women across the country could have varying access to medication abortion depending on their zipcode.

Where people are mourning…

Louisville, KY. Yesterday, a mass shooting at a bank left at least five people dead and injured nine others — including two officers. This is the 15th mass killing this year, and it comes just two weeks after an attack at a Christian school in Nashville, TN. Authorities said the gunman livestreamed the attack and died in a shootout with police. The motive is unclear, but officials believe the gunman was a bank employee and was reportedly struggling with his mental health. Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) shared that some of the victims were “close” friends and called on people to “reach out and get the help that they need.” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) thanked police for their bravery and sent “prayers to the victims, their families, and the city of Louisville.” In a tweet, President Biden urged Congress to pass gun reform, adding “too many Americans are paying for the price of inaction with their lives.”

Who’s ready to get back to work…

Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville). Yesterday, he was sworn back into the Tennessee legislature after Nashville’s Metro Council reappointed him on an interim basis. The move comes less than a week after the GOP-led state House gave Jones and Justin Pearson — both young, Black, and Democratic lawmakers — the boot for participating in a gun control demonstration and breaking House rules. The expulsions sparked outrage and put the two lawmakers in the national spotlight. Now, Jones is back in office, saying “no unjust decision will stand.” Pearson could also be reappointed as early as tomorrow. The state Republican House speaker had said the chamber would honor the reappointments.

Who’s taking a trip…

President Biden. Today, he’s heading to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The deal ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland. The last US president to visit Belfast was former President Obama in 2013. Once Biden's visit wraps up in Northern Ireland, he'll head on to Dublin, Ireland for an official visit.

Where some folks are getting marked absent…

Rutgers University. Yesterday, the New Jersey school’s faculty members went on strike — reportedly the first in the university's history. The unions representing the employees said Rutgers isn’t working with them to renegotiate contracts and better pay. The university said that none of the nearly 67,000 students are being affected by the strike.

Who’s getting called out…

The Dalai Lama.

Who's throwing us a (scary) plot twist...

Kim Kardashian.

Who’s getting a big dub…

The WNBA draft picks.