Supreme Court Blocks Biden's Abortion Guidance in Texas

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case challenging Texas's restrictive abortion laws, leaving in place a lower court ruling that prevents the Biden administration from enforcing federal guidance for hospitals to provide emergency abortion care. This decision is seen as a setback for the administration, which sought to ensure access to abortion in emergencies under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), especially after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The Texas law allows abortions only when a woman's life is in danger or substantial bodily impairment is at risk, conflicting with the EMTALA's stipulations for emergency care. The ruling comes after similar dismissals in Idaho, raising concerns among abortion rights activists and some justices about the lack of clarity on the interaction between state bans and federal law. The Biden administration had argued that EMTALA preempts state laws, but both the Fifth Circuit and now the Supreme Court have upheld Texas's position. This leaves the future of abortion access in emergency situations uncertain in states with strict abortion laws.