美国国家公共电台 NPR--Judge will hear arguments in a case that could threaten access to medication abortion

Judge will hear arguments in a case that could threaten access to medication abortion¹

Transcript²

A federal judge in Texas with deep ties to conservative religious groups will hear arguments in a case that could decide the future of access to a key abortion pill.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

A Texas federal judge is hearing arguments this morning in a case that could limit access to a drug widely used for medication abortions³.

SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:

That pill is part of a two-drug protocol⁴ that's often the most accessible option for people in states with abortion restrictions⁵.

FADEL: NPR's Sarah McCammon is in Amarillo and joins us now. Hi, Sarah.

SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE⁶: Hi, Leila.

FADEL: So if you could just start by reminding us what this case is about and what's at stake here.

MCCAMMON: Yeah, it's about an abortion pill called mifepristone and whether or not the drug can stay on the market. It was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration more than 20 years ago. Major medical groups, like the American Medical Association, say it is conclusively⁷ safe and effective. But the drug has always been the subject of political debate, and medication abortion has become the dominant⁸ form of abortion in this country in recent years. So a coalition⁹ of groups who oppose abortion sued the FDA last year. They claim the drug was improperly¹⁰ approved, and they've asked a federal judge here in Amarillo, where this case was filed, to overturn the FDA approval.

FADEL: So really a lot at stake here in a closely watched case. What do we know about the judge who's overseeing it?

MCCAMMON: So his name is Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, and he has a lot of critics. And that is based on his track record. He was appointed by former President Donald Trump¹¹. He has long-standing ties to conservative religious groups. And his critics accused the anti-abortion group that filed this lawsuit¹² of judge shopping. You know, a law professor I spoke¹³ to at the University of Texas, Austin says that because of the way the federal courts work here, Leila, by filing in Amarillo, the plaintiffs were virtually assured of getting Judge Kacsmaryk assigned to the case.

FADEL: And what are you expecting to happen at the hearing today?

MCCAMMON: Well, this is all happening, first of all, after some big clashes over issues related to press access to the hearing.

FADEL: OK.

MCCAMMON: The Washington Post reported over the weekend that Judge Kacsmaryk had secretly scheduled the hearing but delayed announcing it publicly and that he told lawyers involved in the case to keep the details private. According to that report, he claimed that he was worried about protests and security. So a coalition of media groups objected to the delay on First Amendment¹⁴ grounds. The notice ultimately did get posted to the court's public docket on Monday - so just two days before the hearing. I should also say there will be no recording¹⁵ allowed in the courtroom. So, Leila, the effect of all of these rules and delays is that there will be very limited public access and very limited access for the press to these proceedings¹⁶.

FADEL: Wow.

MCCAMMON: A court official told me this is a small courtroom, and members of the press will be allowed in until it's full, you know, with our notebooks and pretty much nothing else. And each side will have two hours to present their arguments.

FADEL: OK. So you found out on Monday and then got on a plane yesterday, right? So it's - hopefully you get in.

MCCAMMON: Yeah, that's the goal.

FADEL: So the judge will hear from both sides today. What's likely to happen next?

MCCAMMON: Well, Judge Kacsmaryk has a few options here, aside from, you know, just leaving the drug on the market. Mifepristone is subject to some additional FDA rules on top of typical prescription¹⁷ drugs. And the Biden administration pared back some of those rules in recent years. The judge could just put them back in place - for example, stopping the pills from being sent by mail, which became popular during the pandemic. Or he could order the FDA to take the drug off the market altogether. Now, whatever the judge does, Leila, will likely be appealed. And it's very possible that this case will end up before the Supreme¹⁸ Court.

FADEL: NPR's Sarah McCammon reporting from Amarillo, Texas. Thank you so much, and I'm sure we'll hear more from you.

MCCAMMON: Thank you.

1 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

4 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

5 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 conclusively   

adv.令人信服地，确凿地

参考例句：

• All this proves conclusively that she couldn't have known the truth. 这一切无可置疑地证明她不可能知道真相。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• From the facts,he was able to determine conclusively that the death was not a suicide. 根据这些事实他断定这起死亡事件并非自杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 improperly   

不正确地，不适当地

参考例句：

• Of course it was acting improperly. 这样做就是不对嘛！
• He is trying to improperly influence a witness. 他在试图误导证人。

11 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

12 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

13 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

14 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

15 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

16 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

17 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

18 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。