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Washington state has purchased a three-year supply of a popular abortion drug before it could be banned, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday.
He apparently wants to be sure no unwanted unborn child escapes the womb alive.
Inslee ordered the Corrections Department to order 30,000 doses of mifepristone through its pharmacy license ahead of an expected ruling by a Texas judge to outlaw the drug.
Be informed, not misled.
“This Texas lawsuit is a clear and present danger to patients and providers all across the country. Washington will not sit by idly and risk the devastating consequences of inaction,” Inslee said. “We are not afraid to take action to protect our rights. Washington is a pro-choice state, and no Texas judge will order us otherwise.”
It was an unprecedented action for a governor to take.
Gov. Jay Inslee announced yesterday that Washington state has taken unprecedented action to purchase a three-year supply of mifepristone, an abortion medication used safely for more than two decades.
Actually, that's not true. Even the CDC says mifepristone has considerable risk.
In his escalating war on Life, Inslee directed the state Department of Corrections to purchase the medication last month using its existing pharmacy license. The full shipment was delivered on March 31.
Inslee was joined at a press conference yesterday by legislators who are introducing legislation authorizing the state Department of Corrections to distribute or sell the medication to licensed health providers across the state and by Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who is helping lead a multi-state lawsuit aiming to protect access to the medication.
Taking action.
This action--- purchasing the medication in advance now "ensures it will remain available to providers and patients in Washington, regardless of the Texas ruling," says both Inslee and Ferguson.
Sen. Karen Keiser and Rep. Jessica Bateman are sponsoring the legislation that would authorize DOC to distribute or sell the medication.
“The last year has made it clear that we cannot be complacent when it comes to reproductive health,” Keiser said. “The Legislature is taking a number of crucial steps this session to protect abortion rights, but those rights are meaningless without access to care. We cannot allow an extremist judge in Texas to deny Washingtonians access to this safe, effective medication, and that’s why I’m sponsoring this bill.”
“Patients need access to this medication here in Washington state,” Bateman said. “Abortion is health care. This legislation is vitally important to protect your right to get the best care possible, and the full range of medical options. These decisions should not be made by a judge in Texas, but by patients here in Washington.”
Medication abortions account for nearly 60% of abortions in Washington state.
“Thank you to Gov. Inslee and Sen. Keiser for your efforts. Protecting access to mifepristone is critical,” said Ferguson.
Anti-choice activists and politicians are mobilizing quickly around their long-sought fall of Roe by pushing through chilling and dangerous restrictions on abortion in statehouses and courtrooms across the country. Washington state, however, has aggressively responded with a suite of policies to protect abortion care and access. Several abortion and gender-affirming care bills are expected to pass this session:
- HB 1155 is an AG request bill sponsored by Rep. Vandana Slatter that improves consumer health data privacy.
- HB 1340 is sponsored by Rep. Marcus Riccelli and strengthens Uniform Disciplinary Act language for providers who provide abortion care or gender-affirming care.
- HB 1469 is sponsored by Rep. Drew Hansen and strengthens legal protections for patients or providers involved with reproductive care or gender-affirming care in Washington state.
- SB 5242, sponsored by Sen. Annette Cleveland, removes cost-sharing for abortion care services.
“Abortion care is health care — Washingtonians have said that loud and clear, year after year,” said Sen. Manka Dhingra, a co-sponsor of the mifepristone bill. “And in order to deliver that care, providers need to have the right tools, including this medication, which is used in more than half of abortions. This legislation is urgently needed to ensure that Washingtonians and people seeking care in Washington can get the safe, effective treatment they need.”
Being misled.
Mifepristone may be effective---it is not safe.
The chemical abortion regimen is a two-part process. The first pill, mifepristone (also known by its brand name Mifeprex or RU-486), causes the death of the unborn child by cutting off the hormone progesterone, which is required to sustain a pregnancy. The second pill, misoprostol (brand name Cytotec), causes contractions to empty the uterus.
Chemical abortions have a complication rate four times that of first-trimester surgical abortions.
Life-threatening complications from chemical abortion include sepsis and ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Other side effects, such as fever, pelvic inflammatory disease, cramping, and nausea, are not uncommon.
In 2021, anticipating that this day would come, the Heritage Foundation published an in-depth article exposing the actual risks of the abortion drug.
They summarized their article with these three takeaways:
- Chemical abortions have a complication rate four times that of first-trimester surgical abortions.
- Permanently weakening or removing existing safety restrictions could mean that women obtain abortion pills without ever seeing a provider in person.
- Chemical abortions subject women to serious health and safety risks, and abandoning current FDA safety measures will endanger women even further.
Heritage Foundation concluded its 2021 article with this:
Chemical abortions subject women to serious health and safety risks, and abandoning current FDA safety measures will endanger women even further. Policymakers, particularly at the state level, must prepare for the Biden administration to soon prioritize expanding chemical abortion over the health and safety of women and unborn children.
Takeaway
"Washington is a pro-choice state and no Texas judge will order us otherwise," says Gov. Inslee.
Apparently, he feels the same toward God, the giver of Life.
Consider this: "Psalm 127:3-5
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!”
Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in your mother’s body I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart to serve me. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
Isaiah 49:1, 5
“The Lord called me from the womb… formed me from the womb to be his servant.”
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.