Senate Democrats known as on Walmart, Costco, Albertsons and Kroger to promote the prescription abortion capsule mifepristone and clearly let clients know get it at their pharmacies.

The businesses haven’t publicly acknowledged but whether or not they plan to promote mifepristone at their pharmacies. The Meals and Drug Administration in January allowed retail drugstores to promote the abortion capsule as long as they grow to be licensed below a federal program that displays how the treatment is distributed.

The 17 senators instructed Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, Costco CEO Craig Jelinek, Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran and Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen that they’re pissed off the businesses haven’t but publicly indicated whether or not they’ll promote mifepristone. In letters dated Monday, however launched to the general public Tuesday, they requested the CEOs to reply by March 21 on whether or not they plan to get licensed with the FDA to dispense the treatment.

“We urge you to pursue insurance policies that present the strongest potential entry to the total vary of important well being care they want, together with mifepristone, and to speak clearly to your clients about how they will entry this care,” the senators wrote to the CEOs. The group of lawmakers was led by Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.

The abortion capsule has grow to be the central flashpoint within the authorized battle over entry to abortion within the wake of the Supreme Courtroom’s resolution final June to overturn Roe v. Wade. Main retailers within the U.S. have been thrust in the midst of the nation’s deep divisions over abortion as they weigh whether or not to promote mifepristone.

Twelve states have banned abortion and several other others have tighter restrictions on mifepristone than federal laws, making a patchwork authorized panorama the place those that help and oppose abortion are combating over whether or not FDA authority or state regulation reigns supreme.

Utilized in mixture with one other drug known as misoprostol, mifepristone is the commonest option to terminate a being pregnant within the U.S., accounting for about half of all abortions.

Walgreens, CVS and Ceremony Help stated in January that they plan to get licensed with the FDA to promote mifepristone in states the place it’s authorized to take action. Republican attorneys normal in 21 states warned the Walgreens and CVS in early February to not mail mifepristone of their states.

Walgreens has come below hearth after it instructed the GOP attorneys normal that it could not promote mifepristone of their states. The pharmacy’s response sparked controversy as a result of the corporate can also be not promoting the treatment in states akin to Kansas, the place abortion is protected below the state structure. A state courtroom blocked a regulation in November that required sufferers to take mifepristone in the identical room as a physician.

The senators accused Walgreens CEO Roz Brewer of yielding to strain from the attorneys normal and accused the corporate of making confusion by not promoting mifepristone in some states the place abortion stays authorized.

“Whereas we’re nicely conscious of threatening letters you acquired with regard to the distribution of mifepristone in sure states, the response to these pressures was unacceptable and appeared to yield to those threats — ignoring the important want to make sure sufferers can get this important well being care wherever potential,” the senators wrote.

The senators additionally requested CVS Well being CEO Karen Lynch and Ceremony Help CEO Elizabeth Burr in opposition to following Walgreens lead, urging them to “absolutely assess the legal guidelines in every state and guarantee your insurance policies present the strongest potential authorized entry to this important well being care.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom stated final week that the state authorities would not do enterprise with Walgreens over its stance on mifepristone. The state canceled the renewal of $54 million contract for specialty prescribed drugs primarily utilized by the state jail system.

Walgreens spokesperson Fraser Engerman stated the corporate was deeply disenchanted by Newsom’s resolution and plans to promote mifepristone the place it’s authorized to take action, together with California.

“Walgreens is going through the identical circumstances as all retail pharmacies, and no different retail pharmacies have stated that they’d strategy this case in another way, so it is unclear the place this contract would now be moved,” Engerman stated.