Supreme Court Declines to Block Restrictive Texas Abortion Law – WSJ

WASHINGTON A divided Supreme Court late on Wednesday allowed the nation s toughest restrictions on abortions to take effect, declining to block a new Texas law that bars the procedure after about six weeks of pregnancy.

The court s nighttime order, which rejected an emergency request by clinics and abortion-rights advocates, marks a turning point in the legal battle over abortion rights and comes the day the Texas ban went into force. While not a final ruling on the measure s constitutionality, the court s action validates, at least temporarily, a novel attempt by Texas lawmakers to insulate antiabortion legislation from court challenge.

The unsigned order came on a 5-4 vote, with most of the conservative justices in the majority.

President Biden criticized the decision in a statement Thursday and said that he has launched a whole-of-government effort to respond to it.

via www.wsj.com