Justice Department asks Supreme Court to ensure access to abortion pill

The U.S. Department of Justice has asked the Supreme Court to step in and ensure that women across the country have access to the abortion pill, a move that could reshape the abortion debate nationwide. The move was in response to a challenge to an FDA rule that requires women to go to a licensed clinic or doctor’s office to get the abortion pill, mifepristone. The Trump administration is urging the court to uphold the policy by granting a writ of certiorari, which would allow the government to defend the rule in a case before the nation’s highest court. The move comes as states across the country continue to pass laws that restrict access to abortion. The Supreme Court is widely expected to review the laws, and the Trump administration’s challenge to the FDA rule could provide a roadmap for the court to adhere to if it sides with the states. The DOJ argues that the FDA’s rule is necessary to protect women’s health and safety. Critics, however, say the rule creates an unnecessary burden for women seeking to end an unwanted pregnancy. In a statement, the National Women’s Law Center condemned the Trump administration’s move as “a dangerous attempt to restrict access to abortion.” The organization added that the move was “part of a broader effort to roll back rights and freedoms for everyone, including women seeking abortion care.”