Murphy Statement On Supreme Court EMTALA Decision’s Lack Of Clarity For Women And Doctors In States With Abortion Bans

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday released the following statement on the Supreme Court's decision dismissing the appeal from Idaho to allow the State's law banning abortion to supersede the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a federal law that requires hospitals receiving Medicare funding to provide necessary stabilizing treatment to pregnant women in emergencies, including abortion care.

"It's good news that Idaho's draconian law will not stand, but similar to the mifepristone case, the Supreme Court punted the real decision about abortion care until after the election and gave future litigants a roadmap at the same time. This case was an opportunity for the Supreme Court to make clear that women have a right to life-saving emergency care, including abortion, and they did not. Because of the confusion created by the Court, doctors need clarity that saving a pregnant woman's life won't land them in jail, and without that assurance, women will continue to be at risk of harm when experiencing pregnancy complications.

"In the two years since this radical, right-wing Court overturned Roe, Republicans have shown they are willing to put women's lives in danger, criminalize doctors, and fundamentally reshape medical education in this country all in the name of controlling women's bodies and imposing their personal beliefs on the nation. We cannot lose sight of the fact that women all over this country have lost the right to make decisions about their own health and Republicans will not stop until they pass a national abortion ban. Don't be fooled by the temporary victories, the outcome in November is more important than ever because people's lives are counting on it."

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