(CNN) — Roe v. President Joe Biden on Friday signed an executive order aimed at protecting abortion rights in response to the landmark Supreme Court ruling that overturned Wade.
“This is not a decision driven by the Constitution, no matter what those justices in the majority say, it is not a decision driven by history,” the president said from the White House’s Roosevelt Room.
“The reality is that today’s Supreme Court majority plays fast and loose with the facts 150 years ago, the common law in many state statutes does not criminalize abortion early in pregnancy, which resembles the possibilities drawn by Roe, but the Dobbs majority ignores that fact,” said Biden, Vice President Kamala. Flanked by Harris and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, the court’s majority ruling “ignores many laws that were once enacted to protect women.” They were dying from unsafe abortions.
Democrats and abortion rights advocates have pressed the White House to take a stronger stance on codifying abortion access. Last month, Biden said he was considering taking out an executive order, telling Jimmy Kimmel that while he believed Congress should codify Roe, “there are some executive orders that you could use, we think. We’re looking at that right now.”
This Friday’s order by Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra calls for measures to guarantee access to abortion, including medical abortion approved by the FDA and expanding access to “a full range of health services for reproductive health.” Executive fact sheet shared with CNN. These services include “emergency contraception and long-acting reversible contraception, intrauterine devices (IUDs),” the fact sheet says, citing birth control coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is tasked with submitting a report to the President within the next 30 days on the implementation of the provisions of the order, including measures to increase disclosure. and protecting medical and digital privacy. Patients seeking abortion.
In addition, the executive order establishes an interactive task force between HHS and the White House Gender Policy Council, which includes Attorney General Merrick Garland, who will “provide technical assistance to states that offer legal protections to foreign states,” the White House says. patients, as well as legal reproductive health care providers.”
DJ Judd contributed to this report