President Biden issued an executive order Friday aimed at protecting abortion and contraception access in response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
The move is Mr. Biden’s strongest action yet to ensure abortion access amid intense criticism from Democrats and progressives that he hasn’t done enough to work around the Supreme Court ruling.
Speaking at the White House, Mr. Biden also urged women voters to elect candidates who support abortion access — a tacit acknowledgment of the limits of executive power now that the abortion question has been kicked back to state legislatures.
“I don’t think the court, or for that matter, Republicans who have for decades pushed their extreme agenda, have a clue about the power of American women. But they are about to find out,” he said.
Under the executive order, the Department of Health and Human Services will take steps to ensure women can access an abortion medication that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The order also directs HHS to expand access to a “full range of reproductive health services,” including emergency contraception and other birth-control methods, including intrauterine devices.
The Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, guarantees coverage of free birth control and contraceptive counseling.
“Let me be clear, I wish it had not come to this,” Mr. Biden said. “This is the fastest route available. The fastest way to restore Roe is to pass a national law codifying Roe, which I will sign immediately upon its passage on my desk. We can’t wait.”
Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra flanked Mr. Biden as he made his remarks.
Mr. Biden also slammed the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, portraying the six justices as dangerous extremists out of touch with modern laws. He said the ruling will return abortion rights to the 1800s because the court cited a ruling from that century in its majority opinion.
“And so what we are witnessing wasn’t a constitutional judgment, it was an exercise in raw political power,” he said, calling the opinion “a giant step backward.”
Abortion opponents said Mr. Biden was pushing an extreme pro-abortion agenda.
“It is tragic that this administration is using its power to push for more and more painful abortions which harm women and take innocent lives. Of particular concern is the administration’s effort to push chemical abortion which carries significant health risks to women, even more than surgical abortion. Our nation today faces significant challenges, not enough abortion is not one of them,” said Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life.
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said the order was part of an abortion-on-demand agenda that is “out of touch” with America.
“These latest actions today only further prove how radical Biden and the Democrats have become. Republicans know life matters and so does your vote in November,” she said.
Abortion-rights activist Julie Kay welcomed the order but called on Mr. Biden to do more to ensure access to the procedure.
“Voters need to work to elect abortion rights champions to the Congress in the midterms, as well as focusing on state-level and local candidates who will be able to directly impact the ability of all of us to control our reproductive decision-making,” she said.
The order also directs HHS to expand outreach and education efforts centered around abortion by forming a cadre of lawyers and public interest organizations to provide legal representation to women who seek out-of-state abortions as well as providers who offer abortion services.
To provide “technical assistance” to states that afford legal protection to those who want an out-of-state abortion, Mr. Biden created an interagency task force that includes the HHS, Justice Department and White House Gender Policy Council.
He charged HHS with looking into potential actions to improve privacy protections around reproductive care.
The order comes two weeks after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.
Mr. Biden has faced searing criticism from his supporters for his slow response. The White House dismissed several progressive plans to protect abortion access, including allowing abortion providers to perform the procedure on federal lands in states where it is banned.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that idea would have “dangerous ramifications.” The plan is supported by far-left Democrats including Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
The White House said Mr. Biden also doesn’t support “court-packing,” or expanding the number of Supreme Court justices, another idea floated by progressives.
Speaking in Spain last week, Mr. Biden said he would support altering the Senate filibuster to codify abortion access. That would enable Democrats to overcome the 60-vote threshold needed to pass most legislation.
It was a surprising reversal for Mr. Biden, who has previously opposed changing the filibuster rules to get his agenda through the Senate.
• Joseph Clark can be reached at jclark@washingtontimes.com.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.