Statement by Rep. Sherrill on Supreme Court Emergency Abortion Care Ruling
Sherrill Fights to Protect Abortion Through the Courts, for Military Servicewomen, and in States Across the Country
WASHINGTON – Today, in response to the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) – a champion for abortion rights – released the following statement:
“Women should not need to be on their deathbed to receive an abortion. Today’s Supreme Court decision fails to provide protections for basic women’s healthcare and underscores the urgent need to protect women’s access to lifesaving, emergency abortion care nationwide. Let’s be absolutely clear: This is a political decision by the MAGA majority on the Supreme Court to punt a major abortion decision until after the election. Women deserve abortion protections now – with no delay,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill.
EMTALA is a federal law that requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to provide necessary “stabilizing treatment” to patients experiencing medical emergencies. Prior to this ruling and before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, every administration from President Reagan to President Biden recognized that EMTALA requires hospitals to provide emergency abortion care.
Earlier this year, Sherrill spoke out – alongside health care providers in Livingston, NJ – about the importance of federal protections for lifesaving, emergency abortion care. Sherrill has long been a champion for abortion rights, including for servicewomen who are ordered to serve in states with severe abortion restrictions. She led the charge against efforts to repeal the Pentagon’s travel policy that allows women leave and reimbursable travel to seek reproductive healthcare. Sherrill is also working to pass the Stop Comstock Act, which would repeal portions of the 19th century “zombie law” that could be used to ban abortion nationwide. After the case was brought forward in the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, Sherrill introduced the End Judge Shopping Act, which would prevent right-wing extremists from cherry-picking single judge divisions to get favorable outcomes.
###