The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Thursday announced that it is seeking emergency relief from the Supreme Court to defend “the FDA’s scientific judgment” and to “protect Americans’ access to safe and effective reproductive care.” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland made this announcement following the Fifth Circuit’s decision to limit access to the abortion medication mifepristone.

The DOJ has stressed that they strongly disagree with the Fifth Circuit’s decision to deny their request for a stay pending appeal. The court’s decision created new restrictions for the use of mifepristone such as limiting its usage until the seventh week of a pregnancy and prohibiting mail distribution.

Vice President Kamala Harris also released a statement in regard to the latest development in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA. Additionally, Harris critiqued the Fifth Circuit’s decision for questioning the FDA’s medical experts and posed the idea that this decision could allow other drugs to fall under attack. Harris also stated that this decision is the next step to a “nationwide abortion ban.” Harris asserted that the Biden administration will “continue fighting to protect women’s health and the right to make decisions about one’s own body.”

The Eastern District of Washington has since preliminarily enjoined the Fifth Circuit’s ruling from altering the rights of availability of mifepristone at this time.