By Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues
In the progress report on President Biden’s “National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality”, which guides a whole-of-government effort to advance gender equity and equality in domestic and foreign policy, one of the goals tracked is access to abortion under that title: Defending Access to Reproductive Health Care.
The section reiterates the pro-abortion actions undertaken by Biden following Dobbs which are viewed as “progress” in gender equity and equality: “…President Biden issued two Executive Orders and established the Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access to safeguard access to abortion and contraception; prevent discrimination in health care; defend the right to travel out of state for medical care; promote the safety and security of clinics, providers, and patients; and protect patient privacy and access to accurate information. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took independent, evidence-based action that will support access to mifepristone—a drug used in medication abortion that has been approved by the FDA as safe and effective for over 20 years—by allowing it to be prescribed by telehealth and dispensed by a certified mail-order or retail pharmacy.”
The report includes the “progress” in establishing an official website that has a link at the top of the White House website that is dedicated to abortion— ReproductiveRights.gov. It includes a link to AbortionFinder.org stating you should use it “If you need information on your state’s laws or legal help…”
The report also applauds actions taken by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) including requiring providers of emergency care to follow Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) and provide abortion if that is the “stabilizing treatment”; that health care cannot discriminate on the basis of sex; and retail pharmacies are “obligated to ensure access to comprehensive reproductive health care services free from discrimination under federal civil rights law.”
Priorities for the next year are listed with abortion the first priority: Defending Access to Reproductive Health Care. It states, “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Administration remains committed to protecting access to reproductive health services, including abortion and contraception, and defending reproductive rights and health, including the right to travel and the right to emergency medical care. The President continues to call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law to fully ensure women can make decisions about their own bodies, families, and futures. And the Administration will continue to support sexual and reproductive health and rights globally, including as the largest bilateral donor to voluntary family planning programs.”