On Friday, the Supreme Court permitted the implementation of Idaho’s abortion law, which prohibits abortions except to save the mother’s life, amidst ongoing legal challenges from the Biden administration. The Court also agreed to review the case in April, centered around the administration’s interpretation of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) of 1986. This interpretation, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) post the overturning of Roe v. Wade, asserts that EMTALA mandates doctors to perform abortions in emergency rooms as necessary stabilizing treatment.
The Biden administration initiated a lawsuit against Idaho’s pro-life law, claiming it contradicts EMTALA. Idaho, however, contends that EMTALA, intended to prevent “patient dumping,” does not necessitate abortions but rather aims to provide stabilizing care for both pregnant women and unborn children. The state’s argument emphasizes that EMTALA’s silence on abortion is evidence that Congress did not intend to override state abortion laws.
The United States counters this, arguing that Idaho’s law is more restrictive than EMTALA, which protects patients from health emergencies beyond imminent death. According to the U.S. argument, Idaho law criminalizes necessary care unless a patient’s condition becomes life-threatening.
A recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Texas supports Idaho’s stance, stating that EMTALA does not specifically mandate abortion as a treatment.
President Biden criticized the Supreme Court’s decision, asserting that Idaho’s law denies essential emergency abortion care and jeopardizes women’s health. He emphasized the need for Congress to restore Roe v. Wade’s protections.
Conversely, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador welcomed the Court’s decision to hear the case, asserting that federal law does not override Idaho’s Defense of Life Act and that both aim to save lives.
The case, Idaho v. United States, No. 23A470, will be heard by the Supreme Court, reflecting the ongoing legal and political debate surrounding abortion rights in the United States.