President Biden late Tuesday hailed Kansas voters for rejecting a ballot measure that would have allowed the legislature to restrict or ban abortion.
Voters rejected the measure by double-digits in the first instance of voters having a direct say on abortion in the wake of a Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned the right to the procedure in the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
“Voters in Kansas turned out in record numbers to reject extreme efforts to amend the state constitution to take away a woman’s right to choose and open the door for a state-wide ban,” Mr. Biden said. “This vote makes clear what we know: the majority of Americans agree that women should have access to abortion and should have the right to make their own health care decisions.”
Dragged down by inflation, Mr. Biden and Democrats are likely to tout the vote as a major victory as they look for ways to avoid a devastating mid-term cycle.
Mr. Biden said Congress should codify the right to abortion in federal law, though attempts to do that have failed.
Instead, the president is eyeing executive action to ensure access to abortion, including an order on Wednesday that would make it easier for women seeking the procedure to travel between states.
SEE ALSO: Biden to issue second executive order to protect abortion rights
“We will continue to act where we can to protect women’s reproductive rights and access to care,” Mr. Biden said. “And, the American people must continue to use their voices to protect the right to women’s health care, including abortion.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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