Senator Josh Hawley has been working tirelessly to roll back the unsafe policies of the Biden-era, when it comes to rules concerning abortion drugs. The Biden administration made those drugs readily accessible by mail, which has not only threatened the pro-life laws in several states but also put women's lives and safety at risk. Those rules have been a disaster for women. Not only do those drugs have an 11 percent risk of serious complications (far higher than the FDA-reported risk), but men were also using the lax mail-order rules to obtain the drug in efforts to end their partner's pregnancies. This includes Catherine Herring, who found out she was pregnant as she was going through a separation from her husband. He ordered abortion pills online and gave them to Herring in beverages without her knowledge or consent. Thankfully, Herring was able to take medication to reverse the effects of the pill, and she gave birth to a healthy daughter. Her husband was arrested in May 2022.
Hawley has also called on the FDA to reevaluate its approval of another generic chemical abortion drug. "This is shocking. FDA has just approved ANOTHER chemical abortion drug, when the evidence shows chemical abortion drugs are dangerous and even deadly for the mother. And of course 100% lethal to the child," Hawley wrote on X at the time, calling the FDA's decision "baffling."
Yesterday, Hawley held a pro-life press conference.
Senator Hawley Hosts Pro-Life Press Conference, Makes Major Announcement https://t.co/ciJvGgAjEC
— Senator Hawley Press Office (@SenHawleyPress) March 11, 2026
"We are here today to issue a call to action. To call on the United States Congress to stand up and to protect the innocent unborn. To protect the health and safety of women whose lives are endangered from the abortion drug known as Mefiprestone," Hawley said.
"It's time for Congress to take action. We've known for years that Mifepristone is risky. But it's really just in the last few years that we've learned that this drug is inherently dangerous and it is inherently prone to abuse," Hawley continued, "just last year, a major study of 875,000 Mifepristone prescriptions drawn from insurance claims data was published showing that in fully 11 percent of cases, women who take the drug Mifepristone for use in an abortion experience a serious adverse health event."
"Now that's the technical term. What it means in practice is internal infections, sepsis, hemorrhaging, a trip to the emergency room. A life-threatening condition," Hawley said. "That's more than one in ten women. And we're talking about a lot of women. Since 2000, the number of women who have taken this drug for use in an abortion tops 7.5 million. Mifepristone now accounts for 70 percent of the abortions conducted in the United States of America. This is a drug that is incredibly widespread and is inherently dangerous."
Hawley also noted how the men are using the drug to harm women.
"Just in the last year or so, about a dozen men have been charged criminally in different jurisdictions around the country with using Mifepristone to force on girlfriends or people they hardly know abortions they didn't want," Hawley said. "We're talking about taking this capsule and using it to lace a woman's drink, to lace her food, to put it under her tongue while she's sleeping. To force an abortion on her that she objects to, that she would never consent to. And the truth is, because the drug comes in capsule form and because it is at this juncture, nearly completely unregulated, it is inherently prone to abuse."
Hawley said there was a time when Mifepristone had safety regulations and protocols to be prescribed in person by a physician and administered in person, and that follow-up with a doctor was required to check for complications. But he noted Democrats and their pro-abortion agenda did away with these protections.
"Over the years, one liberal administration after another — President Obama and then President BIden — removed almost all of the safety protocols around Mifepristone, such that today it is almost wholly unregulated," Hawley said. "They did this for one simple reason, and it had nothing to do with protecting women's health. Just the opposite. They did it because of abortion politics. They did it because they wanted to turn Mifepristone into the driver of abortion on demand. And we have to admit today, they largely succeeded. There are more abortions now in the United States than there were when Roe vs. Wade was still the law of the land ... and 70 percent of these abortions come with the use of the chemical abortion drug Mifepristone. This was by design by liberal administrations seeking to overrule the voters, by the way ... if those voters determined they want to protect life, it doesn't matter. Mifepristone is mailed into the state no matter what."
Hawley introduced several women who were victims and survivors of the drug, including Rebecca, who shared her story.
🚨A MUST WATCH — Rebecca describes the ABHORRENT ways in which she was treated by abortion providers while grappling with the decision to keep her baby alive.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 11, 2026
"I heard about the abortion pill. It was described as simple, private, safe, natural, less expensive, easier to hide.… pic.twitter.com/GbN5XO4EBf
"I heard about the abortion pill. It was described as simple, as private, as safe, as natural, as less expensive, as easier to hide," Rebecca said. "I was made to believe, like the others you heard from today, that within 24 hours, everything, my entire crisis, would just go away."
"I had no idea what I was getting myself into," Rebecca said. "With no counseling, no waiting period, no sensible conversation, I was given a quick explanation at a local abortion provider, told just that this would be a two-step process."
"Women like me are made to believe that you can just magically become unpregnant. And that's not true," she added. "The only medical guidance I received and I still remember her exact words to this day were 'once you start this, Rebecca, there will be no going back. Expect bleeding, expect cramping, take your pain pills, rest, and call us if you pass blood clots the size of a lemon.'"
Thankfully, Rebecca was able to get medical to help and reverse that abortion and her child is now 13 years old.
"The time for Congress to act, to protect women, to protect children from the dangers of the abortion pill is now," Rebecca said.
Hawley used this press conference to announce the introduction of a bill that would strip Mifepristone of FDA approval.
.@HawleyMO introduced new legislation Wednesday calling on Congress to stand up against chemical abortion, writes @virginiagmck https://t.co/CL4YTAeEX2
— The Daily Signal (@DailySignal) March 12, 2026
"I'm going to work with my colleagues. My hope is to get 60 votes," Hawley said. "This is something for Congress to do. Congress needs to act. There's no excuse for Congress to offload its responsibilities onto other people. Only Congress at this stage can withdraw the certification for abortion from Mifepristone in an effective way. Only Congress can do it and make it permanent."
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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