President Joe Biden signed Wednesday an executive order that aimed to assist people with low incomes to travel to other states for abortion services.
The Supreme Court ruled that the 1973 decision would no longer protect abortion rights. Roe v. Wade, several states have banned the procedureOthers have indicated that they plan to do so in the near-term. Ten states make abortion illegal at any stage of pregnancy, except in very limited circumstances. Four other states ban abortion after six weeks. Over the next few weeks, more restrictions are expected to be enacted by other states.
In the meantime, states such as California, New York, Minnesota and others have become “sanctuaries” for abortionThis applies to all residents of the state as well as those who are traveling from other states where it is illegal.
Biden’s executive order this week seeks to address economic barriers that prevent people from traveling to another state to get an abortion by having Medicaid cover travel expensesFor those with low incomes.
HHS Secretary [the Department of Health and Human Services]Consideration of actions to increase access to reproductive health services, including, to a certain extent, Medicaid for patients traveling across state lines for medical care.
While speaking to the media on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not provide any details on when or how the order would be implemented. She also didn’t explain how the order would circumvent violating the Hyde Amendment, a law that forbids the spending of federal dollars for abortions except in rare circumstances.
“I believe Roe got it right,” Biden saidIn his announcement of this order. “It’s been the law for close to 50 years. And I pledged to the American people that we will do everything possible to ensure that everyone has access to health care. This includes the right to choose the type of health care that women have undergone. Roe v. Wade, which was ripped away by this extreme court.”
This order comes one day after Kansas voters rejected a constitutional amendment to the state constitution that would have allowed the Republican-led legislature in Kansas to pass new laws restricting and banning abortion. Biden praised this vote. describing it as a “decisive victory” for reproductive rights.
