ICYMI: Extremist Lawmakers Double Down on Plans to Ban Abortion Nationwide as Patients and Providers Urge Politicians to Stay Out of Medical Decisions

WASHINGTON, DC –– This week, extremist lawmakers in Washington, DC laid bare their plans to ban medication abortion nationwide – even in states where it is legally protected. Medication abortion currently accounts for nearly two-thirds of abortions across the country, and, according to research from Reproductive Freedom for All, these attacks could eliminate care for 64.5 million people across the country. 

On Tuesday, ahead of the Senate HELP Committee’s bogus hearing on the safety of medication abortion, Carrie Frail, a patient storyteller and advocate with Free & Just, joined physicians from across the country at a virtual press event to underscore the importance of protecting access to mifepristone. 

“This is not a morality issue. It's a medical issue that involves personal privacy, body autonomy, and discussion between a woman and her doctor,” said Frail, an Air Force veteran who credits her abortion with allowing her to escape an abusive relationship. “I'm grateful that I was allowed to make that choice for myself. But I fear for my daughter and other young women who die as a result of these bans. I find it outrageous that a country will use women to protect its interests, and demand they swear an oath to defend the Constitution that no longer protects them as full citizens.”

On Wednesday, Free & Just brought a handful of patients who have relied on abortion care to Washington, DC to attend the Senate HELP hearing, share their stories, and connect with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. 

Marissa “Sunni” Rudd, a single mother and popular content creator who speaks openly about her own experience accessing medication abortion, traveled from New York City to attend the hearing in Washington. 

“I came here to push back on the lies being told about medication abortion. As a mom, I care about honesty and safety,” said Rudd, who educates her followers about reproductive health care. “It’s frustrating to watch lawmakers claim they’re protecting women while giving space to extreme voices that spread fear instead of facts. Women are being harmed by this misinformation, and we deserve better.”

During the hearing, a mobile billboard from Free & Just circled Capitol Hill, a reminder, Veronica Ingham, Managing Director of Free & Just, says of where Republicans’ priorities lie.

“This week, we learned of another tragic death under an abortion ban. Instead of preventing more women from dying preventable deaths, Republican lawmakers proved just how out of touch they are by wasting time with sham hearings and fighting amongst themselves about language and process. The data is clear: The vast majority of Americans support protecting abortion access and do not want to see our rights rolled back even further.”

If you are interested in connecting with patient advocates or learning more about how extremists are working to ban abortion nationwide, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Free & Just Statement on Death of Ciji Graham, Mother & Police Officer Who Died After Being Denied Lifesaving Care

Ciji Graham’s death was preventable, but North Carolina’s abortion ban denied her access to care.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, ProPublica reported on the death of North Carolina mother and Greensboro Police Officer, Ciji Graham, 34, who died after being denied standard medical care under North Carolina’s abortion ban. Graham, whose pregnancy was considered high-risk due to a serious heart condition, struggled to access necessary health care because the state’s restrictive abortion laws left doctors unable to act. 

North Carolina law bans most abortions after twelve weeks of pregnancy, with few exceptions. As a result, women are often denied care because doctors fear criminalization, even in emergency cases. 

In response to today’s reporting, Veronica Ingham, Managing Director for Free & Just released the following statement: 

“Ciji Graham’s preventable death is devastating and a painful reminder of what happens when politicians interfere in our medical care. Our hearts are broken for Ciji's family, and Free & Just sends our deepest condolences to her son, SJ. Abortion bans are killing women across the country, and more lives will be lost. Ciji should still be here — raising her son and serving her community. Instead, her life was cut short by anti-abortion extremism.”

Graham’s passing marks the seventh known woman to have died after being denied care due to a state’s extreme abortion ban. 

If you are interested in speaking with local patient storytellers, health care providers, or families impacted by ongoing attacks on access to abortion care, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future. 

Mobile Billboard from Free & Just to Circle Capitol Hill During Bogus Senate Hearing on Medication Abortion

Extremist lawmakers invite radical anti-abortion leaders to testify before Senate HELP Committee hearing on medication abortion

WASHINGTON, DC –– On Wednesday, January 14, Free & Just is launching a mobile billboard that will circle Capitol Hill during Republicans’ bogus hearing on the safety of medication abortion before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. 

The hearing comes amid mounting pressure from extremist groups and activists eager to ban medication abortion nationwide – even in states where it is currently legally protected. Medication abortion currently accounts for nearly two-thirds of abortions across the country. According to research from Reproductive Freedom for All, restricting access to medication abortion could eliminate care for 64.5 million people across the country. 

Survey data released in December 2025 shows that while most Americans are unaware of looming attacks on medication abortion, a majority oppose policies designed to restrict access to medication abortion. Instead of protecting access to care, Republican lawmakers are inviting radical anti-abortion extremists to our nation’s capital to spread dangerous lies and disinformation.

The mobile billboard will travel around Capitol Hill during the Senate HELP hearing from 9AM–5PM ET on Wednesday.

Contact Kelly Rimar (kelly@freeandjust.us) for questions or more information.

WHAT: Mobile billboard circulating around Capitol Hill during Senate HELP hearing on medication abortion

WHEN: Wednesday, January 14 from 9am-5pm ET

WHERE: Billboard to travel around Capitol Hill (see route below)

ICYMI: New JAMA Study Confirms FDA Followed Science on Medication Abortion. Trump Allies Are Moving to Change That

WASHINGTON, DC  –– A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) confirms that for the past twelve years, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decisions related to medication abortion have been based on science alone. Under the Trump administration, FDA’s strict adherence to science and evidence-based research could change. 

Medication abortion currently accounts for nearly two-thirds of abortions across the country. According to research from Reproductive Freedom for All, restricting access to medication abortion could eliminate care for 64.5 million people across the country. 

The new study, which draws on more than 5,000 pages of internal memos, emails, and other documents, affirms that the FDA has repeatedly evaluated new evidence about the abortion medication, mifepristone, and determined that the drug is safe. Still, political attacks on access to medication abortion continue to escalate. 

In response to the new JAMA study, Veronica Ingham, Managing Director of Free & Just, released the following statement: 

“For more than a decade, FDA decisions about mifepristone have been guided by science – not ideology. That could change under Trump, and millions of people could soon lose access to medication abortion, even those who live in states where abortion is protected by law. We cannot allow extremist politicians to sideline medical experts and weaponize federal agencies to advance their own agendas. Mifepristone is safe, effective, and extremely popular with most Americans. It’s time for anti-abortion extremists to stop interfering with our personal, private medical decisions.” 

On Wednesday, January 14, Senate Republicans are hosting a bogus hearing on the safety of medication abortion, featuring outspoken anti-abortion extremists like Louisiana Attorney General, Liz Murrill.

Under pressure from extremist groups and activists, Trump administration officials like Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary are working to ban medication abortion nationwide. According to survey data released in December 2025, most Americans are unaware of these attacks, but a majority oppose policies designed to restrict access to medication abortion.

Patients who have relied on medication abortion will join Free & Just in Washington, DC on Wednesday, January 14, to set the record straight and demand an end to political attacks on health care. 

If you are interested in connecting with patients, providers, or advocates about access to medication abortion or learning more about the January 14 hearing on Capitol Hill, please contact Kelly Rimar (kelly@freeandjust.us). 

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NEW DATA: Abortion Bans Are Limiting Access to Lifesaving Emergency Care for Patients Nationwide

WASHINGTON, DC – New data published in the JAMA Health Forum confirms that abortion bans impact all patients' access to emergency medical care in states across the country. These findings spotlight that women are dying because they are being denied emergency care in states with abortion bans. While the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) guarantees access to lifesaving care at hospitals nationwide, restrictive abortion laws undermine these protections, leaving patients and providers at risk.

Veronica Ingham, Managing Director of Free & Just, released the following statement responding to the new data:

“No one in crisis should be turned away from the ER, but this data confirms what we have known all along: Abortion bans limit access to all types of emergency medical care, including lifesaving emergency abortion care. Abortion bans have already claimed the lives of women in states like Georgia and Texas – and these are just the deaths we know about. Instead of protecting patients and families across the country, Republican lawmakers and their extremist allies are working overtime to impose dangerous new restrictions on abortion.”

BACKGROUND

For decades, federal law has required hospitals to provide emergency medical treatment to anyone who needs it. Data from Navigator Research found that while only 15% of people were familiar with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), the vast majority support the protections it provides for patients.

Still, anti-abortion extremists are working to gut these critical safeguards.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration rescinded federal guidance specifying that pregnant patients experiencing medical emergencies should be able to access abortion care. The previous guidance during the Biden Administration reaffirmed that the protections guaranteed by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) extend to pregnant patients in need of emergency abortion care.

Bottomline: From rescinding Biden era guidance that required hospitals to provide lifesaving abortion care, to recent attacks on medication abortion, extremists have made clear that they will not stop until abortion is banned nationwide – no matter the cost. 

If you are interested in connecting with patients, providers, or advocates about attacks on lifesaving emergency care at the local and federal level, please contact Malachi White (malachi@freeandjust.us).     

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Anti-Abortion Extremists are Exploiting Federal Agencies to Ban Medication Abortion Nationwide

WASHINGTON, DC – Anti-abortion extremists are pressuring federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to abandon years of evidence-based research to ban medication abortion nationwide. Mifepristone is a safe, effective, and FDA approved medication that’s been on the market for over twenty years, and banning medication abortion will impact states even where care is legal. According to research from Reproductive Freedom for All, restricting access to medication abortion could eliminate care for 64.5 million people across the country. 

Republicans and anti-abortion extremists are interfering with the medical decisions of patients across the country by rejecting science to impose a national abortion ban.

Veronica Ingham, Managing Director of Free & Just, released the following statement:

“Access to medication abortion is still under threat regardless of the speed at which Trump’s appointees move on their baseless mifepristone review. Republican lawmakers and extremist groups are committed to banning medication abortion and pressuring federal agencies is just another way to achieve that goal — regardless of the harm to women and families. Anti-abortion extremists will continue to search for any opportunity they can use to ban abortion nationwide, and what we’re seeing now is just the beginning.”

In light of news last week that the review of mifepristone is being delayed, Republican Sen. Josh Hawley – who called on the FDA to review mifepristone earlier this year – is doubling down on his efforts to ban medication abortion care by demanding answers from Commissioner Makary on why the review on mifepristone is being stalled. Meanwhile, extremist groups like former Vice President Pence’s organization Advancing American Freedom Foundation, Students for Life, and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America are bullying Republican lawmakers into exploiting government agencies to attack reproductive freedom.  

Bottomline: Despite over twenty years of evidence-based research confirming that mifepristone is safe and effective, Republicans and their extremist allies are weaponizing trusted federal agencies to ban medication abortion nationwide. 

If you are interested in connecting with patients, providers, or advocates about access to medication abortion and the continued attacks on mifepristone at the local and federal level, please contact Malachi White (malachi@freeandjust.us).  

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Republicans Put Anti-Abortion Extremism First Instead of Addressing Health Care Crisis

Republican lawmakers care more about banning abortion than lowering costs for millions of families

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, Senate Republicans rejected legislation that would extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits for three years and protect millions of Americans’ access to health care. Instead, they rallied behind a bogus bill that leaves out critical tax credits that so many families rely on, and includes further restrictions on abortion coverage.  

Now, millions of Americans’ health care hangs in the balance as the same lawmakers who claim that abortion should be “left up to the states” pull every lever they can to ban abortion nationwide.  

After today’s votes, Veronica Ingham, Managing Director of Free & Just, released the following statement:

“Republican lawmakers would rather cater to anti-abortion extremists than address the health care crisis they created, and American families will pay the price. We are just days away from millions of people losing health coverage, and the last thing Americans need is for Republicans to bow to anti-abortion extremists. It’s time for Republicans to stop spreading misinformation about abortion coverage under the ACA and get serious about lowering costs for working families.”

If you are interested in connecting with patients, providers, or advocates about what is at stake for Americans’ health care and reproductive freedom, please contact Kelly Rimar (kelly@freeandjust.us).

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

New Data Confirms Two-Thirds of Americans Reject Efforts to Ban Medication Abortion as Bogus FDA “Review” Continues

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, KFF released new data highlighting the popularity of medication abortion nationwide, and yet, most Americans are largely unaware of how President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are pushing their extreme agenda to ban access to care. Mifepristone is a safe and effective medication that’s been approved for over twenty years. Despite a proven track record, and years of evidence-based research, medication abortion is the latest target for anti-abortion Republicans to ban abortion nationwide. 

Medication abortion now accounts for nearly two-thirds of abortions across the country, while  Republicans are pressuring federal agencies to reverse the FDA’s approval of the medication involved. In June, Commissioner Makary pulled from bogus science to affirm his pledge to conduct an “investigation” into mifepristone. In September, RFK Jr. launched a new FDA review of mifepristone. When asked during a hearing, Secretary Kennedy shared that investigations into medication abortion are underway, tracking this administration's continued commitment to banning abortion and restricting reproductive freedom across the country.

In response to the new data reported by KFF, Veronica Ingham, Managing Director of Free & Just, released the following statement:

“Despite data showing that Americans support reproductive freedom, Trump and his anti-abortion appointees are pulling every lever to attack medication abortion. Science affirms that medication abortion is safe and effective; and it’s changed the lives of patients nationwide. Baseless political attacks on medical care are dangerous, and Free & Just will continue uplifting the stories of those impacted.”

Bottomline: Anti-abortion extremists are working to ban abortion nationwide any way they can – no matter how unpopular it is.

Key findings include:

• Fewer Than Half Of The Public Are Aware Of Mifepristone’s Prevalence And Safety. About half (53%) of the public say they have heard of mifepristone, but about one in four (24%) adults correctly say that most abortions in the U.S. are medication abortions, while three in ten (29%) incorrectly believe that most abortions are done procedurally, and nearly half (47%) say they are not sure.

• Public Awareness of Recent FDA Review of Mifepristone Is Low. Most of the public say they have heard “a little” (27%) or “nothing at all” (47%) about the move from Secretary Kennedy and the FDA. 

• A Majority of the Public Oppose Policy Proposals Aimed at Restricting Medication Abortion Access. Two-thirds of adults who oppose banning the use of medication abortion, nationwide (68%) and a similar share who oppose making it a crime for health care providers to mail abortion pills to patients in states where abortion is banned (65%).

• Most of the Public Opposes the Medicaid Funding Ban on Clinics that also Provide Abortions. About two-thirds (65%) of the public oppose the current law banning clinics that provide abortions from receiving federal Medicaid payments for other services they provide.

• Nearly half of Republicans oppose banning medication abortion. 48% of MAGA Republicans oppose banning mifepristone nationwide.

  If you are interested in connecting with patients, providers, or advocates about access to medication abortion and the continued attacks on mifepristone at the local and federal level, please contact Kelly Rimar (kelly@freeandjust.us). 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

ICYMI: Speaker Johnson Quietly Tries to Kill IVF Coverage for Military Families

New reporting reveals Johnson’s push to strip bipartisan IVF protections from the National Defense Authorization Act, leaving service members behind

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, Free & Just is responding to new reporting that House Speaker Mike Johnson is working to remove a bipartisan provision that would guarantee IVF coverage for all active-duty service members and their families through TRICARE. TRICARE is the Pentagon’s health coverage program serving more than 9 million service members, retirees, and military families.

The provision — supported in both chambers — would finally extend assisted reproductive technology coverage to the millions of service members who experience infertility at higher rates than the general population.

In response to today’s reporting, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaign Director for Free & Just, released the following statement:

“Speaker Johnnson’s push to strip IVF coverage from military families is a cruel and needless political choice. Our service members sacrifice more than most Americans can imagine. Denying them a chance to build the families they dream of is indefensible.”

The reporting follows months of silence from the administration after releasing a misleading new proposal related to IVF treatment in October. Instead, under the leadership of the self-proclaimed “father of IVF,” the Trump administration continues to roll back access to all types of reproductive health care, including fertility treatment.

This reporting confirms that Speaker Johnson is pushing behind closed doors to remove the IVF provision from this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, despite public promises from President Trump and congressional Republicans to expand IVF access.

Free & Just will continue fighting to ensure every family has access to the reproductive care they need.

If you are interested in connecting with patients, providers, or advocates about this reporting and how the Trump administration’s attacks on reproductive freedom harm growing families, please contact Kelly Rimar (kelly@freeandjust.us).

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Texas Patients and Advocates Warn: New 12/4 GOP Abortion Law Is Putting Women at Risk

WATCH THE EVENT HERE

TEXAS –– Today, patient storytellers and advocates joined Free & Just to spotlight how Republican attacks on abortion care are making pregnancy more dangerous across Texas. The event also honored the life of San Antonio mother and wife, Tierra Walker, who died of complications from preeclampsia after being denied care under the abortion ban.

On December 4, 2025, a new anti-abortion Texas law (HB 7) takes effect, further targeting medication abortion in the state. 

Texas has imposed more abortion restrictions than almost any other state, and now extremist GOP lawmakers are going even further. Republicans' latest attack targets medication abortion, by cracking down on how patients can access abortion medication and encouraging private citizens to sue Texans who receive or provide care.

At the event patient storytellers and advocates honored Tierra Walker and shared how the latest attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Texas and across the country.

“I was forced to flee my home state to access abortion care after my very wanted, long-awaited IVF pregnancy was given a fatal fetal diagnosis at my anatomy scan. In the middle of grief, shock, and rising medical risks to myself, I had to pack a bag, book a hotel, arrange a rental car, and get on a flight. Not because I wanted to, but because I had no other choice, because the care I needed and the autonomy I deserved were taken away from me by politicians who will never meet the families that they harm,” said Taylor Edwards, a former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas. “Laws like the one taking effect tomorrow do not stop abortions. They stop safe abortions. They punish those of us navigating wanted pregnancies. They terrorize families. They take choices that should only belong to us and make them nearly impossible to reach. I believe that we deserve better. We deserve autonomy, and we deserve the unquestioned right to make decisions about our own bodies.”

“When physicians feel unable to counsel patients honestly, and when hospitals fear legal consequences for providing evidence-based care, the result is a system that fails people in the moments when they need help the most. No patient should ever have to cross state lines to receive essential health care. Yet this is the reality we face in Texas, where legislative barriers and widespread fear have made pregnancy and pregnancy complications far more dangerous than they need to be,” said Uma Reddy, a fourth-year medical student in Texas pursuing Adolescent Medicine. “As a future Pediatric Adolescent Medicine physician, and as someone who hopes to build a career serving young people in Texas, I worry about the message this new law sends to the next generation. It tells them that their safety is negotiable, that their autonomy is conditional, and that their medical needs are less important than political pressure. I believe Texas can do better than this. Our patients deserve better than this.”

“I contribute the access that I had to abortion medication to saving my life. No person should have to go through the mental distress of what you have to do to get access to abortion medication. Without these medications, who knows how many more people we will lose while having these bans in place. Unfortunately, if we do not make a change, it will continue to get worse. We should not be losing people like we lost Tierra,” said Melanie Shipley, a patient storyteller who received medication abortion care.

“Tierra is a black woman navigating a system that already fails black women at much higher rates, and Texas's abortion bans are magnifying the systemic existing inequality. I don't know what it is like to be a black woman in Texas, but I do know what it is like to be a white woman with healthcare, with an advanced degree and a professional career in maternal and infant health. And despite all of my privilege, I have had to fight like hell to get the healthcare that I need,” said Kaitlyn Kash, a former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas. “HB 7 will be the fourth cruel and harmful law that says that the government knows how to provide healthcare better than our doctors — that the government knows how to provide or what kind of healthcare we need more than we do and what our own bodies are telling us. Someone is already pregnant right now, who is going to need medication abortion. Someone is already pregnant right now, whose life will be forever changed tomorrow when a new law goes into effect.”

You can watch the event here. If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants at the event, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us. 

This week, Free & Just released a NEW Fact Sheet: President Trump and Extreme Republican Lawmakers are Making Pregnancy More Dangerous for Texans:

• Abortion bans are killing women and at least four women have died as a result of Texas’ abortion ban – and those are just the deaths we know of.

• Texas’ strict abortion bans have driven medical professionals and trainees away, leaving massive gaps of care for pregnant women within the state.

• As a result of abortion laws in Texas, thousands of patients are frequently forced to travel out of state to access essential abortion care. 

• Texas lawmakers have recently doubled down on efforts to restrict medication abortion via telehealth, which 2,800 Texans rely on every month to access abortion care.

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