President Joe Biden.
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Biden will sign his second executive order on Wednesday aimed at protecting abortion access.
The order seeks to protect patients traveling out of state to get an abortion where it’s still legal.
The action is in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
President Joe Biden on Wednesday will sign his second executive order aimed at protecting abortion access since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24.
The executive order instructs the Human and Health Services Department to support patients who will travel out of state to get an abortion where it’s still legal, according to a White House fact sheet.
The order directs HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra “to consider action to advance access to reproductive healthcare services, including through Medicaid for patients who travel out of state for reproductive healthcare services.”
It also asks Becerra to ensure health care providers comply with federal non-discrimination laws and to improve data collection and research on maternal health outcomes.
The action builds on another executive order that Biden signed on July 8, which focused on expanding access to federally approved abortion medication, ensuring emergency care for pregnant women, and protecting patient’s digital and medical privacy rights.
After Roe v. Wade’s fall, the White House and congressional Democrats have repeatedly called on voters to elect more abortion-rights supporters to Congress this November. Attempts to codify Roe v. Wade have failed because of Democrats’ limited majority in the Senate and widespread Republican opposition.
The Supreme Court’s monumental ruling has caused a slew of Republican-led states to ban or limit abortion, with more restrictions to come. Court battles over abortion have been playing out at the state-level since the decision came down.
On Tuesday, voters in red-leaning Kansas rejected a measure that would have established no right to abortion under the state’s constitution.