Once again, Texas is at the epicenter of efforts to take away our freedom to make our own decisions about our bodies, our families, and our futures and to deprive us of access to services, information, and care that enable us to do so.

Over the last few days, I’ve been speaking up and speaking out about the unprecedented ruling from a federal judge in Texas staying the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, a decision that is devastating to women and families and to our established drug-approval system.  

It is critical that we do everything we can to preserve and protect the FDA’s authority to approve safe and effective medication, including abortion medication.  That’s why Congressman Pat Ryan and I introduced  the Protecting Reproductive Freedom Act: a resolution affirming that medication abortion was appropriately approved, and is appropriately regulated, by the FDA.

It’s one of the many things we can and must do, as this case makes its way through the courts.  

Yesterday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order staying a part of the district court’s order.  It provides some relief from the catastrophic impact of the lower court’s unprecedented opinion, but it leaves in place restrictions that undermine the science-based process and authority of the FDA and health and freedom of American women.  

Attorney General Garland has announced that the DOJ will seek emergency relief from the Supreme Court, and I support this action to defend the FDA’s scientific judgment and to protect Americans’ access to safe and effective reproductive health care.

All of these things remind us how much elections matter.  Who appoints the judges, who appoints the attorney general, who writes the laws—it’s all about elections.  That’s what we are focused on every day on #TeamLizzie.  And that’s why I am grateful to all who are a part of it.

Together, we can do anything,