Hawley urges FDA action on abortion-drug availability
Josh HawleyUnited States senator from Missouri
After a Senate hearing for FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton, Hawley urged the FDA under her leadership to end abortion-drug availability in Missouri and every other state and restore safety restrictions.
“We've got to make sure that she is committed to ending the abortion drugs' availability in the state of Missouri and every other state. That they're going to put back in place the safety restrictions and they're going to follow the law.”
Interview
Reporting
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should Congress ban the abortion pill, mifepristone, as Josh Hawley has proposed?
On March 11, 2026, Senator Josh Hawley introduced the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act, which would withdraw the Food and Drug Administration's approval of mifepristone for pregnancy termination, make distributing and labeling the drug for that purpose violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and let women who say chemical abortion harmed them sue its manufacturers. Mifepristone has been approved in the United States since 2000 and is used in a large majority of American abortions. Hawley argues a national ban is the only remedy because the drug can be mailed into states whose own laws restrict abortion. The bill drew seven Republican cosponsors but has not moved out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. On September 16, 2026, Hawley unveiled a four-page "Declaration for Life" and began asking officeholders and candidates to sign it as a commitment to ban the drug. The dispute is over whether Congress should enact that ban.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
Heartlander News identifies the remarks as a post-hearing interview with Hawley after Heidi Overton's September 24 Senate HELP Committee confirmation hearing. The article quotes Hawley calling for the FDA under Overton to end abortion-drug availability in Missouri and every other state and to restore safety restrictions.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Politico reported on the September 24 Senate HELP Committee hearing for FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton. Its report describes Hawley challenging Overton about mifepristone regulation and the administration's position in court.
Reporting
About this source
Fierce Biotech reported on the September 24 Senate HELP Committee hearing for FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton. The report says Hawley challenged Overton over mifepristone regulation and the FDA's position in ongoing litigation.
Before the quotation
In an interview after Overton's Senate HELP Committee hearing, Hawley said he wanted the FDA under her leadership to end abortion-drug availability in Missouri and every other state.
After the quotation
Politico and Fierce Biotech separately reported that Hawley challenged Overton during the hearing over mifepristone regulation and its labeling.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
This statement concerns potential FDA action and does not by itself establish Hawley's position on congressional enactment.
- Recorded on
- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseGenBioPro declines to comment on Hawley's bill to ban mifepristone
GenBioPro
“At this time, the company prefers not to comment.”Read statement
Tony Perkins says the Republican Party has "lost its voice" on abortion and credits Hawley with filling the vacuum
“Unfortunately the Republican Party has lost its voice on the life issue and in that vacuum there are leaders that are stepping forward like Sen. Hawley calling upon the church, communities and the country to step up on behalf of the unborn.”Read statement
Hawley unveils the "Declaration for Life" and asks candidates to commit to banning the abortion drug
“This Declaration for Life, written by pastors, is calling on everyday Christians across America to stand for life and confront the scourge of chemical abortion.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Hawley urges FDA action on abortion-drug availability
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/2535-after-a-senate-hearing-for-fda-commissioner-nominee
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Hawley urges FDA action on abortion-drug availability". First published: 2026-09-25. Last updated: 2026-09-25. https://disputeindex.com/events/2535-after-a-senate-hearing-for-fda-commissioner-nominee