SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 25 April 2024, Thursday |

Biden to set new U.S. guidelines on reproductive rights, 100 days after Roe v Wade

U.S. President Joe Biden will present new policies and funds to safeguard reproductive rights and discuss how abortion rights have been restricted ever since the Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to an abortion.

In addition to Vice President Kamala Harris, he will be speaking at a task group conference on reproductive rights that is being held 100 days after the historic Roe v. Wade ruling.

The meeting will focus on how millions of women cannot access abortion services and doctors and nurses are facing criminal penalties for providing such services, according to a White House official and a letter shared by the White House.

The letter to the president was from Jen Klein, the head of the inter-agency task force on abortion access.

At the meeting, the president will also speak about new guidelines for universities from the Department of Education to protect students from discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and $6 million in new grants to protect access to reproductive healthcare services from the Department of Health & Human Services.

The letter from Klein said abortion bans have gone into effect in more than one dozen states since the court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling on June 24. Nearly 30 million women of reproductive age now live in a state with a ban, including nearly 22 million women who cannot access abortion care after six weeks, it said.

The letter also notes efforts by Republican lawmakers such as Senator Lindsay Graham to issue a nationwide abortion ban.

Democrats are increasingly hopeful that the Supreme Court decision will boost voter support in November’s midterm elections.

A Pew Research Center poll in August showed abortion rocketing up as a priority for Democratic voters — from 46 percent in March to 71 percent.

    Source:
  • Reuters