WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) today filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) in the case of Moyle v. United States American and Idaho v. United States of America. The brief supports the State of Idaho in defending its pro-life law, the Defense of Life Act, against the Biden administration’s efforts to trump it with its wrongful reinterpretation of federal law. The Idaho leaders were joined by the entire Idaho delegation and 24 U.S. Senators and 93 U.S. Congressmen.

“Idahoans have passed a strong law to protect the lives of mothers and the unborn, yet the Biden administration is seeking every opportunity to expand abortion. This administration cherrypicked pieces of existing statute and wrongfully reinterpreted it to fit their agenda,” said Risch. “Their manipulation of federal law cannot usurp state law, and there is no federal right to an abortion. This amicus brief demonstrates how the administration’s substantial federal overreach is aimed at undermining pro-life protections not only in Idaho but around the nation.

“The case of Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States involves an elective, induced abortion which is against Idaho law,” said Fulcher. “The Biden administration has no authority to use EMTALA to avoid holding these individuals accountable for breaking the law, and this sets a precedence that is harmful to women and children around the country.”

“The Supreme Court has ruled it is the states’ ability to protect the right to life, yet the Biden Administration continues to exercise federal overreach to advance its abortion agenda,” said Senator Mike Crapo. “The Administration must stop its ongoing attacks on state-issued pro-life protections, including in Idaho.”

"The Biden administration's overreaching efforts to expand abortion nationwide is an attempt to take power away from the American people," said Rep. Mike Simpson. "The Supreme Court rightfully ruled that states have the right to protect life, yet this administration continues to undermine that decision. I strongly support the right of all states to protect the unborn, and I reaffirm this priority by joining this amicus brief."

The amicus brief outlines several issues with the Biden administration’s case against Idaho’s bill. The brief clarifies:

• The administration is wrongfully misinterpreting the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) into federal agency guidance and claiming it provides a national abortion mandate for “stabilizing” abortions;

• EMTALA does not mention abortion in any capacity, and the statute’s purpose is to ensure any person seeking help in an emergency room receives help regardless of his or her ability to pay;

• EMTALA protects women in active labor and their unborn child(ren);

• There is no federal right to an abortion; and

• SCOTUS ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health there is no constitutional right to an abortion and it returned abortion-related decisions to the states.

Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Thun (R-S.D.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Pete Rickets (R-Neb.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) joined Risch and Fulcher in submitting the brief.

Reps. Robert B. Aderholt (R-Ala.), Mark Alford (R-Mich.), Rick W. Allen (R-Ga.), Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), Brian Babin (R-Tenn.), Donald J. Bacon (R-Neb.), James R. Baird (R-Ind.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Michael Burgess (R-Texas), Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), Mike Carey (R-Ohio), Jerry L. Carl (R-Ala.), Earl J. “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.), Ben Cline (R-Va.), Andrew S. Clyde (R-Ga.), Mike Collins (R-Ga.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), John Curtis (R-Utah), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), Mike Ezell (R-Miss.), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Brad Finstad (R-Minn.), Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.), Charles Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Mike Flood (R-Neb.), C. Scott Franklin (R-Fla.), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), Bob Good (R-Va.), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (R-Ariz.), Garret Graves (R-La.), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Mark Green, M.D. (R-Tenn.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), Harriet M. Hageman (R-Wyo.), Andy Harris (R-Md.), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Erin Houchin (R-Ind.), Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.), Ronny L. Jackson (R-Texas), Trent Kelly (R-Miss.), David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.), Robert E. Latta (R-Ohio), Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Tracey Mann (R-Kan.), Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), Mary Miller (R-Ill.), John R. Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Alex Mooney (R-Va.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Blake Moore (R-Utah), Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Bill Posey (R-Fla.), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), Mike D. Rogers (R-Ala.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), Matthew Rosendale, Sr. (R-Mont.), David Rouzer (R-N.C.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Steve Scalise (R-La.), Austin Scott (R-Ga.), Keith Self (R-Texas), Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.), Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), W. Gregory Steube (R-Fla.), Dale W. Strong (R-Ala.), Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-Pa.), William R. Timmons, IV (R-S.C.), Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), Randy Weber Sr. (R-Texas), Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), and Roger Williams (R-Texas) joined the Idaho delegation in submitting the brief. 

Senator Risch is a member of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus. He has introduced multiple pieces of legislation to protect the unborn, including the Pregnancy Center Security Act to enhance security for pro-life pregnancy centers and to protect staff and patients from potential violence and extremism.

The amicus brief can be read here.

###