President Joe Biden Signs Executive Order to Protect Abortion Access

Days after the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating abortion as a constitutionally-protected right, President Joe Biden signed an executive order aimed at protecting access to abortion nationwide.

Upon signing the order today, the president gave a speech from the Roosevelt Room of the White House. With Vice President Kamala Harris and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra by his side, Biden called the SCOTUS decision "totally wrong," and urged American women and men to practice their "political power" by voting for the country they want this November.

"This isn't some imagined horror," he said. "It is already happening. Just last week, it was reported that a 10-year-old girl was a rape victim—10 years old—and she was forced to have to travel out of state to Indiana to seek to terminate the pregnancy and maybe save her life."

"Imagine being that little girl," he continued. "I'm serious, just imagine being that little girl."

In his order, Biden addressed the dangers that can come with having an unsafe abortion, and those already associated with the procedure for women in underserved communities or without access to critical reproductive healthcare services.

"In the face of this health crisis, the Federal Government is taking action to protect healthcare service delivery and promote access to critical reproductive healthcare services, including abortion," he said. "It remains the policy of my Administration to support women’s right to choose and to protect and defend reproductive rights. Doing so is essential to justice, equality, and our health, safety, and progress as a Nation."

Among other things, the executive action calls for the Justice Department to ensure pregnant women can travel out-of-state for abortion care if needed, and instructs the Attorney General and the Counsel to the President to "convene a meeting of private pro bono attorneys, bar associations, and public interest organizations in order to encourage lawyers to represent and assist patients, providers, and third parties lawfully seeking these services throughout the country."

Biden's executive order comes amid calls for government action from the pro-choice majority in the country following the highly-controversial SCOTUS decision.

You Might Also Like

• A Cleaning Expert Explains the Best Way to Clean Cloth Face Masks After You Wear Them — Good Housekeeping

• 35 Delicious Pantry Recipes That Use What's Already in Your Cabinets and Freezer — Good Housekeeping

• The Amish keep to themselves. And they’re hiding a horrifying secret. — Cosmopolitan