President Joe Biden issued an executive order on Friday to guarantee access to abortion nationally despite efforts by some states to abolish or severely restrict it, two weeks after the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade.
Biden criticized the court’s ruling from two weeks ago as “radical” and “completely incorrect” in remarks made from the White House’s Roosevelt Room with Vice President Kamala Harris and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra present.
The president also exhorted voters to exercise their “political power” in record numbers this November, saying that doing so is the “quickest method” to overturn the court’s decision and give congressional Democrats the majority they need to enshrine abortion rights in federal law.
This isn’t some fabricated nightmare, added Biden. “It’s already taking place. Just last week, it was revealed that a 10-year-old girl had been the victim of rape and had been forced to go to Indiana from another state in order to try to end the pregnancy and possibly save her life.”
He continued, “Imagine being that little girl.” “I’m serious, try to see yourself as that tiny girl.”
The executive move comes at a time when Biden is under pressure from his fellow Democrats to act more firmly, particularly in light of the fact that the ruling rendered by the supreme court on June 24 was leaked in early May.
His order basically puts the finishing touches on what the administration had already announced, including directives to the Justice Department to ensure that women can travel outside of the state for abortion treatment.
In order to provide care for out-of-state patients, mobile clinics have been deployed to state boundaries. The order addresses the increased dangers for patients, clinicians, and clinics and contains measures to protect these clinics.
The White House stated that as a result of Biden’s action, Merrick Garland, the attorney general, and the White House counsel are instructed to gather volunteer attorneys and organizations to “encourage robust legal representation of patients, providers, and third parties lawfully seeking or offering reproductive health care services throughout the country.”
Additionally, Biden has stated that he will offer time off for federal employees who need to travel for medical treatment, which might serve as an example for other businesses.
Companies like Amazon, Starbucks, and others have already made announcements about extended health insurance that will cover employees’ travel costs if they need to get an abortion but cannot get one close to where they reside.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Additionally, Biden is directing HHS to take “extra steps to protect and extend” access to IUDs, emergency contraception, and medication abortion.
In order to provide the public with accurate information on access to reproductive health care services, including abortion, the agency is directed to strengthen outreach and public education activities.
Patient privacy is covered by Biden’s directive, which also addresses the sharing and selling of sensitive health information, fights digital surveillance pertaining to reproductive health care services, and safeguards people from dishonest and misleading business practices.
Democratic governors asked Biden to use federal buildings and property for abortion clinics last week.
“What am I referring to? In order to ensure that additional women can access the services provided in veterans hospitals, military bases, and other locations where the federal government has jurisdiction in some states that are opposed to women’s rights, “Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York made a suggestion.
The White House expressed skepticism about the proposal and warned that it may have “dangerous repercussions.” The recommendation won’t be a part of Biden’s executive order.
The Democratic governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, recommended last week that the government make it plain that Americans can lawfully transport the abortion pill across the U.S.-Canadian border, but this suggestion was left out of Biden’s action.
Biden asserts that any legislation put to his desk would be instantly signed by him and that it is ultimately up to Congress to codify Roe into law. But since they would require 10 Republican votes in the Senate, any attempt by Democrats to do so would probably fail.
Biden proposed a filibuster carveout to codify abortion rights into federal law, but Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, two Democratic senators, are reluctant to altering the venerable Senate rule.
Evan Vucci/AP
In order to elect more Democrats who support abortion rights in November, the president urged women to vote in record numbers. Biden stressed that “women are not without electoral or political power,” reading straight from the court’s majority judgment.
Biden stated, “You, the ladies of America, you decide the result of this issue.
Biden spoke out strongly against the Republican Party and the court while also expressing concern about a number of other unrecognized privacy rights, including same-sex marriage and access to contraception.
We cannot allow freedoms and our individual autonomy to be taken away by an unchecked Supreme Court working in tandem with radical Republican Party members, Biden stated.
God have mercy