Roe vs Wade: Biden signs executive order on abortion access amid pressure from Democrats

After the Supreme Court struck down a constitutional right to the procedure two weeks ago, President Biden was under increasing pressure from his fellow Democrats to take stronger action on the issue. On Friday, he signed an executive order aimed at maintaining access to abortion. The president criticised the court's ruling and asked both men and women to support pro-choice candidates in the upcoming election.

The president's plans for action on Friday aim to lessen some of the possible consequences of the decision for women seeking abortions, but they fall short of guaranteeing universal access to abortion.

Taking to Twitter, Biden wrote, "Today I signed an Executive Order to protect the reproductive rights of women in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's extreme decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. It formalizes the actions I announced right after the decision and will add new measures to protect women's health."

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Speaking from the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Friday, alongside Vice President Kamala Harris and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Biden decried the court's decision as "extreme" and "totally wrong."

"This isn't some imagined horror," Biden 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 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."

What is the meaning of the executive order?

The executive order specifically directs the Justice Department to use all legal means at its disposal to defend the rights of women seeking abortions, including the right to travel to another state for the procedure and the right to obtain abortion drugs that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The directive also instructs the Health and Human Services Department to make sure that regardless of where a woman or girl is located, they receive the emergency care they require. According to Biden, the presidential action also increases access to free contraception while defending access to it.

In an effort to protect women who seek or use abortion services, the executive order also instructs agencies to cooperate to train healthcare professionals and insurers about how and when they are obligated to share confidential patient information with law enforcement. Additionally, it calls on the Federal Trade Commission to take action to safeguard the privacy of online users looking for information on abortion and other reproductive services. Biden claimed that the Constitution "embedded" the right to privacy.

Volunteer lawyers for women

According to the White House, the administration will also gather volunteer attorneys to offer free legal counsel to women and providers as they negotiate new state regulations as a result of the Supreme Court decision.Biden was under fire from those in his own party for not acting more quickly to protect women's access to abortion, and he signed the order weeks after the high court's June 24 verdict that eliminated the federal right to the procedure and gave states the power to decide whether or how to permit it.

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