Biden Announces Abortion, Contraception Measures on Roe Anniversary

Facts

• US Democratic Pres. Joe Biden on Monday marked the 51st anniversary of the historic Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision Roe v. Wade — which established a constitutional right to abortion but was later overturned by SCOTUS in 2022 — by announcing plans to provide more access to abortion medication and contraception.¹
• Biden’s plan, which he outlined to his task force on reproductive health care access, includes expanding coverage for no-cost contraception through the Affordable Care Act and giving federal employees better access to contraception through guidelines provided to insurers.¹
• The administration has also come up with a plan to better educate patients and healthcare providers about the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) — which requires hospitals to provide emergency care to patients when medically necessary. But whether abortions should be included under EMTALA is a matter SCOTUS is scheduled to take up this year.²
• In remarks made Monday, Biden reiterated his administration’s desire for Congress to pass legislation that would restore the abortion rights women had before Roe’s reversal, saying he would ‘immediately’ sign such a bill into law.³
• Also on Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris made a speech in Wisconsin focused on abortion, which has been restricted in some states, including Wisconsin, since the end of Roe.⁴
• Biden’s new measures come as he’s expected to launch his first campaign rally in New Hampshire on Tuesday, with a focus on abortion access.⁵

Sources: ¹USA Today, ²Forbes, ³NBC, ⁴Associated Press and ⁵The Wall Street Journal.

Narratives

• Democratic narrative, as provided by MSNBC. The Biden administration’s attempts to expand access to abortion and contraception in the face of Republican-imposed restrictions is an important first step in protecting women’s health in a post-Roe world. The fight must continue because this isn’t just about abortion but women’s health in general. The overturning of Roe should be enough to galvanize women to push back in several ways, including at the ballot box.
• Republican narrative, as provided by Breitbart. The case against Biden is clear — a vote for him is a vote for someone whose priority in a second term will be codifying the right to kill the unborn nationwide. Already, his administration has done everything it can short of getting legislation through Congress — including executive orders and ordering unelected bureaucrats to issue health guidances — to preserve as much abortion-on-demand as it can. Biden and the Democrats don’t believe in the sanctity of life.

Predictions