US Justice Department announces a Reproductive Task Force to protect abortion rights

In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the legal right to abortion, the US Justice Department on Tuesday (July 12) announced the formation of a task force to find methods to protect reproductive rights. This Reproductive Rights Task Force, which will be led by Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, will “monitor and evaluate” state and local laws that might restrict access to reproductive healthcare, outlaw drugs that cause abortions or penalise federal employees who provide reproductive health services permitted by the federal law, CNN reported.

Gupta in a statement said, “The Court abandoned 50 years of precedent and took away the constitutional right to abortion, preventing women all over the country from being able to make critical decisions about our bodies, our health, and our futures. The Justice Department is committed to protecting access to reproductive services.”

This announcement comes after the US president signed an executive order on Friday defending abortion rights and urged the Justice Department to “much like they did in the civil rights era, to do something, to do everything in their power to protect these women seeking to invoke their rights." The Biden administration has been working across federal agencies to reverse Roe v. Wade—clarifying the obligations and protections of medical professionals to perform abortions for life or for health-saving measures.

Nevertheless, in light of the court’s decision, the President is unable to take any steps to reinstate the country’s right to an abortion, and the president has openly admitted hate he has few alternatives for increasing access to the procedures. The Democrats and advocates are pressurising the White House to take a stronger stance to codify abortion access.

(With inputs from agencies)

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