Greg Casar Warns Federal Mifepristone Ban Could Worsen Texas's Maternal Health Crisis

Representative Greg Casar (D-TX) is pushing back sharply after Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) publicly signaled his support for a proposed federal ban on mifepristone, said to be the most commonly used abortion drug medication in the United States.

"Texas' abortion ban is already killing women. Now, John Cornyn says he's 'all in' on another reproductive health care ban. Dangerous and extreme," Rep. Casar posted on X.

Sen. Cornyn's brief "All in." reply came in response to a post by Jonathan Saenz (R-TX) of Texas Values Action, a conservative advocacy group, who was praising Senator Josh Hawley's (R-TX) newly announced proposal to ban mifepristone nationally.

Sen. Hawley unveiled the proposal during a Senate Judiciary hearing, stating the drug accounts for roughly 70% of abortions in the United States.

Current Laws

Mifepristone is an FDA-approved medication used alongside misoprostol to terminate pregnancies up to 10 weeks of gestation. It works by blocking progesterone, a hormone necessary to sustain pregnancy.

When used in combination, the two-drug regimen is over 90% effective, according to federal health regulators, though it remains subject to specific dispensing requirements under FDA oversight.

The state currently enforces a near-total abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest, and in December 2025, it strengthened those restrictions further through HB 7,  a law allowing private citizens to sue anyone who manufactures abortion pills into the state.

According to health data, the consequences have been significant.

Texas received a "D" grade for maternal and infant health in the 2025 March of Dimes report, its third consecutive year at that rating. The state's maternal mortality rate sits at 29.3 deaths per 100,000 births, with rising risks of sepsis tied to abortion restrictions.

The risk of maternal death in Texas is 155% higher than in California.

With Hawley's federal proposal now drawing support from Texas's senator, Casar is warning that expanding restrictions to the national level could deepen an already dire public health picture.