Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a pro-abortion Democrat, announced Tuesday that his state stocked up on a three-year supply of abortion pills ahead of a court ruling that could restrict the drug.
According to Fox News, Inslee ordered the Department of Corrections to purchase 30,000 doses of mifepristone, a drug a woman takes early in pregnancy to stop the baby from developing. The bulk purchase, which arrived last month, reportedly cost $1.28 million, which is $42.50 per pill.
“Health care should be decided by a patient and their doctor, not a judge in Texas,” Inslee wrote on Twitter, referring to the abortion pill case.
A ruling from Texas any day could jeopardize access to mifepristone nationwide, but this action ensures continued access for all patients in Washington. Thanks to legislators such as Sen. Karen Keiser and Rep. Jessica Bateman for supporting this effort. pic.twitter.com/mIWdb4bYGa
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) April 5, 2023
Mifepristone taken with misoprostol, known as a “medication abortion,” accounts for the majority of abortions in the United States, according to the Guttmacher Institute. A court case under review could result in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the drug to be revoked or suspended.
"This Texas lawsuit is a clear and present danger to patients and providers all across the country," Inslee said in a statement. "Washington will not sit by idly and risk the devastating consequences of inaction."
Last summer, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which sent the issue of abortion back to the states. Many states had “trigger” laws on the books that outlawed abortion, or passed laws in the aftermath of the Court’s decision to restrict abortion and protect America’s unborn.
Since then, Democrat-led states, like California, as well as Washington, have promised to become "safe havens" for abortions, even for women from other areas who cross state lines to obtain the procedure.
On the other hand, a slew of pro-life states, such as Tennessee, have restricted abortion and unveiled resources to help women carry their pregnancies to term.