Idaho defends pro-life law at US Supreme Court

WHO: Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador

WHAT: Press conference following oral arguments in State of Idaho v. United States of America

WHEN: Immediately following oral arguments, which begin at 10 a.m. EDT, Wed., April 24

WHERE: Outside U.S. Supreme Court, 1 First St. NE, Washington. To schedule an interview, contact ADF Deputy Director of Media Relations AnnMarie Pariseau at (480) 417-3975.

WASHINGTON – Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador will speak at a press conference outside the U.S. Supreme Court immediately following oral arguments Wednesday in State of Idaho v. United States of America.

The Office of the Idaho Attorney General, with the assistance of experienced Supreme Court litigators from Alliance Defending Freedom and Cooper & Kirk PLLC, is asking the nation’s high court to prevent the Biden administration from manipulating federal law to override Idaho’s Defense of Life Act. Idaho’s law protects the lives of women and their unborn children, preventing doctors from performing abortions unless necessary to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest. Contrary to what the administration argues, Idaho’s law is fully consistent with federal law.

“The administration’s radical interpretation of federal law is nothing more than a lawless disregard for Idaho’s right to protect life,” Labrador said. “Idaho’s Defense of Life Act is perfectly consistent with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, which provides explicit protections for ‘unborn children’ in four separate places. But the Biden administration is trying to use one life-affirming law to invalidate another. We are asking the Supreme Court to end the administration’s unlawful overreach and to respect the decision of the people of Idaho to safeguard the lives of women and their unborn children.”

“The Biden administration lacks the authority to override Idaho’s law and force emergency room doctors to perform abortions,” ADF CEO, President, and General Counsel Kristen Waggoner said. “There is no conflict between Idaho’s Defense of Life Act and EMTALA. Both Idaho’s law and EMTALA seek to protect the lives of women and their unborn children. The Supreme Court should end the Biden administration’s lawlessness and uphold Idaho’s rightful authority to protect life.”

In August 2022, the Biden administration sued Idaho, claiming that EMTALA preempts Idaho’s protections for life and requires emergency room doctors to perform abortions that are unlawful in Idaho. But no conflict exists between EMTALA and Idaho’s law, as both seek to save lives, and neither forces doctors to perform abortions in emergency rooms. After a lower court upheld the administration’s attempt to rewrite EMTALA and prevented Idaho from enforcing its law, the Supreme Court agreed to review the case and fully restored Idaho’s law while the case continues.

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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