Letter to Congress on the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act (April 1, 2026)

April 1, 2026

The Honorable Josh Hawley 
U.S. Senate 
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Diana Harshbarger 
U.S. House of Representatives 
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Senator Hawley and Representative Harshbarger:

On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, I write to express our support for the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act (S. 4066 / H.R. 7902). This legislation would withdraw the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone pills for abortions and make labeling the drug for that purpose unlawful. It would also provide a legal remedy for those injured by the drug to pursue claims against its manufacturers.

Catholic teaching holds that all human life is sacred from the moment of conception until natural death and that both the life of the mother and the preborn child possess equal, inherent dignity. The U.S. bishops have frequently stressed how the abortion pill represents an isolating and harmful response to women in need, who deserve better in the form of compassionate accompaniment and meaningful support to help them welcome their child.[1]

Chemical abortions now account for almost two-thirds of all abortions in the United States, resulting in hundreds of thousands of preborn children lost each year. Since mifepristone was first approved over twenty-five years ago, a growing body of evidence has emerged suggesting that the use of this drug, as part of the two-drug regimen for chemical abortion, not only ends the lives of preborn children but also poses significant dangers to mothers. The elimination of the in-person dispensing requirement during the Biden Administration would seem likely to increase risks to women by removing the opportunity for professional assessment of factors such as the stage of pregnancy and whether it is ectopic, and by preventing meaningful follow-up. It also may make abortion drugs more readily exploited by abusers and human traffickers.

U.S. bishops have opposed mifepristone’s remaining on the market and advocated to at very least restore the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) with respect to it. This is not just to reduce abortion and save the lives of preborn children, but to prevent double tragedies and save the health and lives of mothers who would take the deadly drug. 

In withdrawing FDA approval of mifepristone for abortion, prohibiting its being labeled for abortion, and ensuring a private right of action against manufacturers, the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act, would likely save lives by curtailing the incidence of chemical abortion itself and all of its associated risks to the mothers as well. 

We are very grateful for your leadership in addressing this serious moral issue, and we urge your colleagues in both the House and Senate to support and pass this bill. Thank you for your work to ensure the safety and well-being of the preborn and their mothers. We stand ready to support your efforts.

Sincerely,

Most Reverend Daniel E. Thomas 
Bishop of Toledo 
Chairman, Committee on Pro-Life Activities

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[1] E.g., “FDA Approval of Generic Abortion Drug ‘Jarring and Contradictory,’ Says Bishop Thomas” USCCB, Oct. 6, 2025, https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/fda-approval-generic-abortion-drug-jarring-and-contradictory-says-bishop-thomas-0; “Supreme Court Ruling Does Not Change the Facts about Abortion Pills, says Bishop Burbidge,” USCCB, June 18, 2024, https://www.usccb.org/news/2024/supreme-court-ruling-does-not-change-facts-about-abortion-pills-says-bishop-burbidge; Nationwide Invitation to Prayer Announcement, USCCB, 2024, https://www.usccb.org/resources/nationwide-invitation-to-prayer.pdf; “U.S. Bishops’ Pro-Life Chairman Addresses Supreme Court Ruling on Abortion Drug,” USCCB, April 22, 2023, https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/us-bishops-pro-life-chairman-addresses-supreme-court-ruling-abortion-drug; “U.S. Bishops’ Pro-Life Chairman on Chemical Abortion Drug Ruling by Circuit Court,” USCCB, April 14, 2023, https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/us-bishops-pro-life-chairman-chemical-abortion-drug-ruling-circuit-court; “U.S. Bishops’ Pro-Life Chairman Denounces FDA Action on Chemical Abortion Pill,” USCCB, Jan. 6, 2023, https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/us-bishops-pro-life-chairman-denounces-fda-action-chemical-abortion-pill, “U.S. Bishops’ Pro-Life Chairman Denounces FDA Decision on Chemical Abortion Pill,” USCCB, Dec. 16, 2021, https://www.usccb.org/news/2021/us-bishops-pro-life-chairman-denounces-fda-decision-chemical-abortion-pill.

Letter to Congress on the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortions Act.pdf