Nassau Standard

As the deadline for a government shutdown looms, several House GOP members, led by Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, are opposing the current form of the FDA and Department of Agriculture appropriations bill. The main point of contention is President Biden's executive order expanding access to chemical abortion pills via mail without a medical consultation. This move has sparked concerns among Republicans, as research indicates that these pills are more than four times riskier than other abortion methods.

According to a Daily Beast report, D'Esposito is among a few House Republicans who oppose the amendment required to fund the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture. The bill includes a provision designed to nullify a Biden administration rule that allowed the sale of mifeprestone, a pill used for chemical abortions, in retail pharmacies.

A study published in the official journal of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reveals that the complication rate for chemical abortions is four times higher than that of surgical abortions. In the past, the use of mifeprestone was limited to the first seven weeks of pregnancy and required three in-person office visits under a doctor's supervision. However, the FDA quietly updated its website earlier this year to allow the dispensing of these drugs at retail pharmacies, without making an official announcement.

In June of this year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law providing legal protections to New York doctors and drug manufacturers that prescribe and ship abortion pills across state lines, particularly to states where they are banned, according to the Associated Press. Under the law, local prosecutors and state agencies would be prohibited from assisting in any abortion-related criminal investigations without a court order. 

If the longer-term appropriations bills are not passed by September 30th, a government shutdown will commence on October 1st, as reported by Newsweek. The opposition from Rep. D'Esposito and other House Republicans poses a significant obstacle to reaching a consensus on funding the FDA and the Department of Agriculture, creating further uncertainty regarding the future of these agencies and the nation's spending bills.