Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and more than 90 Republican colleagues in Congress have filed an amicus brief in support of Louisiana’s lawsuit challenging federal regulations governing chemical abortion drugs, with the filing landing on Sunday, June 29.

The Lawsuit and the Brief

Louisiana Attorney General Murrill filed the underlying lawsuit in October 2025 on behalf of the state and a Louisiana woman identified as Rosalie Markezich, who supporters describe as a victim of the removal of in-person dispensing requirements for chemical abortion drugs. Markezich’s boyfriend reportedly ordered the pills online from a California-based abortionist, and Markezich says she was coerced into taking the drug.

The amicus brief, co-filed by Sen. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-Louisiana) and Rep. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) along with Crapo and the broader group of Republican lawmakers, argues that the Biden administration broke federal law when it eliminated the in-person dispensing requirement for chemical abortion medications. The brief supports a motion for preliminary relief that would direct the FDA to suspend or withdraw its 2023 Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy governing those drugs.

What Lawmakers Are Saying

Crapo framed the issue as a question of regulatory responsibility, saying, “The FDA has the responsibility to ensure every drug meets rigorous safety standards, especially when vulnerable lives are at stake.” Cassidy, a physician, tied the in-person dispensing requirement directly to preventing coercion: “In-person dispensing requirements for chemical abortion drugs saves babies and protects women from coercion.”

What Comes Next

The lawsuit is seeking a preliminary injunction that would halt the FDA’s current dispensing framework while the broader legal fight over the 2023 strategy proceeds. If a court grants the injunction, pharmacies and mail-order services would face restored in-person dispensing rules while the case moves forward.

The broad coalition backing the amicus brief — more than 90 lawmakers in total — signals that Republican leadership sees the Louisiana case as a significant vehicle for challenging the Biden-era regulatory changes to chemical abortion access. The case may ultimately draw renewed attention to how the FDA weighs safety protocols for drugs used in the termination of pregnancies, a question that has remained politically charged since the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs ruling returned abortion policy to the states.

Crapo has been an active voice on life-related legislation throughout his Senate tenure. Idaho residents with questions about his positions can also reach his office directly; Idaho’s First District Rep. Russ Fulcher recently opened phone lines for a constituent Q&A as part of broader congressional outreach efforts in the state.