A Texas law barring most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy will be allowed to stand while the U.S. Supreme Court waits to hear oral arguments in the case in November.
The high court announced Friday that it would hear oral arguments in the case starting November 1 on whether the federal government can sue Texas over the law.
The Texas law, which has been in effect since September, has reduced the number of abortions in the state by 80%, The Associated Press has reported.
The U.S. Justice Department filed a suit over the law after an attempt by abortion providers to have the law put on hold was rejected.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ruled in favor of putting the law on hold, but that was overturned two days later by a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Before the Supreme Court, Texas contended, "In sum, far from being demonstrably wrong, the Fifth Circuit's conclusion that Texas is likely to prevail was entirely right.”
The Biden administration has argued the law is unconstitutional because "it is settled constitutional law that 'a state may not prohibit any woman from making the ultimate decision to terminate her pregnancy before viability.' "
The Texas abortion law is unique in that it also gives private citizens the right to sue anyone who performs or assists a woman in getting an abortion. Individual citizens can be awarded $10,000 for bringing successful lawsuits.
Aside from the Texas case, in December, the Supreme Court will consider whether to uphold or overturn a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.
