For Immediate Release: July 15, 2026
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Women Harmed by Abortion Drugs Looking for Justice

Washington, D.C. – Republican members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee pressed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on the administration’s handling of a high-profile lawsuit over mail-order abortion drug harms during a hearing today to consider Blanche’s nomination.

Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) shared the story of Jona Affholder, who survived a forced mifepristone-induced abortion at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, who was present in the hearing room. Last week 14 other women harmed by abortion drugs wrote to Blanche urging the Department of Justice to settle with abortion drug coercion survivor Rosalie Markezich in Louisiana v. FDA. The 5^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled an expedited hearing for September 9.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) highlighted the serious risks abortion drugs pose to women, including hemorrhaging, infection, sepsis, and even death, following a letter to Blanche from himself and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) yesterday. Research by the Charlotte Lozier Institute has found three quarters of ER visits within 30 days after abortion drug use were coded as severe or critical, and 81% of online abortion businesses send mifepristone to kill unborn children far beyond the FDA’s 10-week time frame. Two separate, independent studies found more than 1 in 10 women experience at least one severe adverse event.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who has called on Blanche to settle the case, asked the nominee how—without commenting on litigation strategy—he would solve the conflict between the federal government and pro-life, Republican states like Missouri.

Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) also pressed Blanche on abortion drugs during the hearing.

Last month a coalition of 83 state and national pro-life groups, led by SBA Pro-Life America, urged Blanche and the DOJ to resolve the lawsuit by agreeing to a court-ordered consent decree that would get abortion drugs out of the mail immediately while the FDA completes a prompt, rigorous safety review.

 SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser commented:

“Victims of violent crimes and a growing group of survivors harmed by the multimillion-dollar abortion drug industry are crying out for justice. We thank our Judiciary Committee allies for seeking answers from Acting AG Blanche today on why the DOJ continues defending the unlawful mail-order abortion drug rule at nearly every turn, whether on the merits or not. It’s clear a majority of them are deeply uncomfortable with this and sincerely looking for change, even as the FDA’s much-needed long-term safety study is underway. The inherent dangers of abortion drugs are made even worse by eliminating in-person medical visits, and the FDA itself admits the move was not grounded in science or data. The 5^th Circuit also firmly stated there is no public interest in continuing a policy that is obviously unsafe and most likely illegal—designed to undermine the laws of 20 states with safeguards for women and babies—and there’s no need to keep it while the study progresses. Concrete actions speak louder than words. The DOJ must settle this case urgently.”

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is a network of more than one million pro-life Americans nationwide, dedicated to ending abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives, with a special calling to promote pro-life women leaders.

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