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Supreme Court delays decision on abortion drug stalemate, extending stay to Friday

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court is buying itself two more days before it resolves a legal stalemate over the abortion drug mifepristone.
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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during a press briefing at the White House, in Washington, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. The White House is vowing to continue to defend abortion rights in the United States, regardless of what the Supreme Court decides. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Patrick Semansky

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court is buying itself two more days before it resolves a legal stalemate over the abortion drug mifepristone. 

The court has extended until Friday a stay on a controversial ruling in Texas that invalidated federal approvals for the drug. 

That means the deadlock over two conflicting federal rulings — and the uncertainty about the availability of mifepristone — will persist a little longer. 

The White House is vowing to continue to defend abortion rights in the United States, regardless of what the court ultimately decides. 

It's the second time in less than a year that the conservative-dominated court has wrestled with a major ruling on abortion rights. 

Last June, the court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that effectively codified a woman's right to an abortion anywhere in the U.S.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2023.

The Canadian Press

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