Biden Praises Supreme Court Order on Idaho Abortions

President Joe Biden Thursday praised the Supreme Court's order to dismiss an appeal from Idaho concerning abortions in emergency situations, stating that his administration will continue to fight for reproductive freedom.

"Today's Supreme Court order ensures that women in Idaho can access the emergency medical care they need while this case returns to the lower courts," Biden said in a statement. "No woman should be denied care, made to wait until she's near death, or forced to flee her home state just to receive the health care she needs. This should never happen in America."

Thursday, the court agreed by 5-4 for the dismissal and against deciding the appeal brought in the case of Moyle v. United States, which sought to determine whether the state's strict abortion law conflicts with federal law that requires stabilizing care for emergency room patients, including abortions for pregnant women.

The court's dismissal means a lower court ruling allowing doctors to perform abortions in emergency situations will remain in effect for now.

The decision, made for procedural reasons, did not resolve the questions about the legality issues, had been expected after the court on Wednesday said it inadvertently posted a copy of the unsigned decision online.

Biden said in his statement that state abortion bans are forcing doctors to leave Idaho and other states, and insisted that "doctors should be able to practice medicine" and that "patients should be able to get the care they need."

But with Roe v. Wade being overturned, "this is all part of Republican elected officials' extreme and dangerous agenda to ban abortion nationwide, and put women's health and lives at risk," said Biden.

The president added that the "stakes could not be higher and the contrast could not be clearer."

"My administration is committed to defending reproductive freedom and maintains our long-standing position that women have the right to access the emergency medical care they need," he said. "Vice President [Kamala] Harris and I will continue to fight for a woman's right to make deeply personal health care decisions and we will continue to fight to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law, for all women in every state across the country."

In Idaho, abortion is illegal except in cases of incest, rape, some instances of nonviable pregnancies, or when "necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman," and doctors who perform procedures illegally could face time in prison, criminal penalties, or losing their licenses.

Idaho GOP House Speaker Mike Moyle said his state will continue to back laws restricting abortion.

"While I am disappointed that the Court did not end the Biden administration's meritless lawsuit, it is important that the Justices noted the Idaho Legislature's recent changes to its law, combined with the Biden administration's backing off its extreme arguments made in the lower courts," he said in a statement to Newsmax. "There is no conflict between the state and federal laws. Both protect the woman and her unborn child.

"It is my hope that the lower courts will recognize this and allow Idaho to govern itself with its democratically enacted law."