President Biden signed an executive order on Friday aimed at protecting access the abortion, as he faces mounting pressure from his fellow Democrats to be more forceful on the issue after the Supreme Court ended a constitutional right to the procedure two weeks ago. The president criticized the court decisionand urged Americans to vote for candidates in November who support abortion rights legislation.
“This was not a decision driven by the Constitution, and despite what the justices in the majority said, this was not a decision driven by history,” Mr. Biden said Friday at the White House, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Health and Health. Secretary of Human Services Xavier Becerra.
The actions the president outlined Friday are intended to try to mitigate some potential penalties that women seeking abortions may face after the ruling, but have limited ability to safeguard abortion access across the country.
Specifically, the executive order calls on the Justice Department to do everything in its power to protect women seeking abortions, including protecting women’s right to travel to another state for an abortion and protect access to abortion medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The order also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that all women and girls who experience pregnancy loss receive the emergency care they need, regardless of their state. Mr. Biden said.
“Consider the challenge accepted,” he said, addressing the high court. “But in the meantime, I’m signing this important executive order.”
Getty Images
The executive order also directs agencies to work to educate medical providers and insurers about how and when to share confidential patient information with authorities, an effort to protect women who seek or use abortion services. It also calls on the Federal Trade Commission to take steps to protect the data privacy of those who seek information about abortion and other reproductive services online. Mr Biden insisted that the right to privacy is “embedded” in the Constitution.
“This decision affects everyone, regardless of the election, beyond the election,” Biden told the nation. “We cannot allow an out-of-control Supreme Court, working in concert with extremist elements of the Republican Party, to take away our freedoms and our personal autonomy.”
On Friday, Biden urged people, especially women, to vote in November, saying the “fastest way” to restore Roe starts at the ballot box.
“We need two additional pro-choice senators and a pro-choice House to codify Roe as federal law,” the president said. Your vote can make it happen.”
The White House has said the administration will also call on volunteer lawyers to offer women and providers pro bono legal assistance to help them navigate the new state restrictions after the Supreme Court ruling.
The order, which he signed weeks after the high court’s June 24 ruling ended abortion rights nationwide and left it up to states to determine whether or how to allow the procedure, comes as Mr. Biden faces criticism from some in his own party for not acting more urgently to protect women’s access to abortion The decision in the case known as Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned the landmark of the court 1973 Ruling Roe v. Wade.
Since the decision, Mr. Biden has stressed that his ability to protect abortion rights through executive action is limited without congressional action.
“Ultimately, Congress will have to act to codify Roe into federal law,” Biden said last week during a virtual meeting with Democratic governors.
The order to the Justice Department and HHS is expected to prompt the agencies to fight in court to protect women, but does not guarantee that the court system will side with them against potential prosecutions by states that have banned the abortion
The battle for abortion
more more
Source link
