Supreme Court Oral Arguments: The Stakes for Reproductive Health Care

This past Tuesday, March 26, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, a case that could determine the future of access to abortion and other reproductive healthcare. Mifepristone is one of two medications commonly used in a medication abortion and has a 99% safety record.  

This further solidifies that the attack on Mifepristone is nothing but another way to restrict access to abortion, and the effects of removing Mifepristone from circulation would be severe. Medication abortions accounted for 63% of all abortions within the formal U.S. healthcare system in 2023; this number doesn’t include self-managed medication abortions that take place outside the formal healthcare system, including when medication is mailed to those in states with abortion bans, so the actual share of total abortions is likely much higher.  

To learn more about the case, you can read WRJ’s blog post on the subject from December, or read our one-pager here.  

As WRJ members rallied outside the Supreme Court, plaintiffs were questioned on whether they even had standing to sue the FDA. This case is not the first unscientific, baseless attack on abortion access and reproductive healthcare, and it certainly won’t be the last. Now more than ever we need to be committed to the fight for reproductive rights, both federally and in the states.  

Here’s what WRJ has been working on when it comes to ensuring access to abortion:

Florida

Florida is a key state in the fight for reproductive access. Despite their restrictive laws (abortion is currently banned after 15 weeks), the number of abortions performed in Florida is steadily increasing. This increase is in no small part because so many states bordering and near Florida are subject to total abortion bans. Protecting access to abortion in Florida would be a much-needed win for Floridians and anyone in the region in need of reproductive care.

WRJ has been tirelessly working with RAC-FL on the passage of Amendment 4, which would add a right to abortion into the Florida state constitution. Reform Jews in Florida collected 17,000 of the over 900,000 petitions necessary to ensure this amendment got on the ballot, and now they’re working to inform Floridians about the ballot initiative and make sure that everyone votes.  

You can get involved with the Florida ballot measure by:

• Joining us to learn how to host a Justice Jam in your community focused on reproductive freedom and protecting democracy on April 18. 
• Sign-up to phonebank to protect reproductive freedoms in Florida on May 7. 

All interested participants are welcome, even if you do not live in Florida.  

New York

In New York, advocates are working to ratify the most expansive Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in history into the state constitution. New York’s ERA would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, explicitly including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare autonomy in that definition.  

Constitutional prohibitions on discrimination on the basis of sex would be invaluable to making sure that all those who seek abortion care in New York are protected. Statewide Equal Rights Amendments have been utilized to block harmful, anti-abortion legislation in states like Nevada, and would do the same to ensure New York remains a safe haven for those seeking abortion care.

To learn more about WRJ and RAC-NY’s ERA campaign, fill out this form.  

Although this is only a snapshot of the work WRJ is helping lead in the fight for reproductive freedom, our battle is far from over. Continue to follow WRJ on Instagram and Facebook for live updates as we continue to monitor federal cases and more.