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Biden Signs Executive Order to Protect Access to Abortion

Under pressure from fellow Democrats after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Biden issues executive order to protect access to reproductive healthcare services.
Biden Signs Executive Order to Protect Access to Abortion

President Joe Biden will take executive action Friday to protect access to abortion, the White House said, as he faces mounting pressure from fellow Democrats to be more forceful on the subject after the Supreme Court ended a constitutional right to the procedure two weeks ago, reports ABC News.

"President Biden has made clear that the only way to secure a woman’s right to choose is for Congress to restore the protections of Roe as federal law," the White House said in a statement. "Until then, he has committed to doing everything in his power to defend reproductive rights and protect access to safe and legal abortion."

Facing pressure, Biden to sign order on abortion access (ABC News)

Excerpt from ABC News: The White House said Biden will speak Friday morning “on protecting access to reproductive health care services.” The actions he was expected to outline are intended to try to mitigate some potential penalties women seeking abortion may face after the ruling but are limited in their ability to safeguard access to abortion nationwide. Biden is expected to formalize instructions to the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to push back on efforts to limit the ability of women to access federally approved abortion medication or to travel across state lines to access clinical abortion services.
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At Biden’s direction, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will take additional action to protect access to abortion medication that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, writes The Hill. The president’s executive order will additionally aim to protect patient privacy by addressing the transfer of sensitive health data and digital surveillance related to reproductive health care services.

Biden to announce executive action to protect abortion access (The Hill)

Excerpt from The Hill: The agency will seek to protect access to emergency medical care for pregnant people and people experiencing miscarriage, including by reviewing guidance that outlines physician responsibilities under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. Biden will also direct HHS to expand access to contraception like IUDs. The Affordable Care Act guarantees coverage of free birth control and contraceptive counseling. The president’s executive order will additionally aim to protect patient privacy by addressing the transfer of sensitive health data and digital surveillance related to reproductive health care services.
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The American Medical Association cheered the Biden administration’s executive order Friday designed to keep access to emergency contraception and abortion medications, according to Forbes. Doctor groups say the Supreme Court eliminated a woman’s right to make her own decisions, allowing government to interfere in personal healthcare decisions.

Doctors Cheer Biden Executive Order On Abortion Access (Forbes)

Excerpt from Forbes: "Across the country, since the Supreme Court’s egregious decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, physicians have been placed in an impossible situation – straining to meet our ethical duties to place patient health and wellbeing first, while attempting to comply with vague, restrictive, complex, and conflicting state laws that interfere in the practice of medicine and jeopardize the health of patients," AMA president Dr. Jack Resneck Jr. said Friday.
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