President Joe Biden Friday morning at 11:30 AM ET will deliver a speech announcing he is signing an executive order to help protect women’s access to abortion medication and emergency contraception, to help convene legal representation to protect their right to travel out of state to access reproductive healthcare, and to protect patient privacy rights.
A statement from the White House says the executive order will be used for:
Safeguarding access to reproductive health care services, including abortion and contraception;
Protecting the privacy of patients and their access to accurate information;
Promoting the safety and security of patients, providers, and clinics; and
Coordinating the implementation of Federal efforts to protect reproductive rights and access to health care.
The order announces efforts to provide legal representation for women to protect “the right to travel out of state to seek medical care.”
“The Attorney General and the White House Counsel will convene private pro bono attorneys, bar associations, and public interest organizations to encourage robust legal representation of patients, providers, and third parties lawfully seeking or offering reproductive health care services throughout the country,” the White House says. “Such representation could include protecting the right to travel out of state to seek medical care.”
The Washington Post notes the President’s speech comes “as many Democrats have called on him to respond with bolder and more urgent action.”
In May, following the leaked Supreme Court draft overturning the right to abortion Biden called on Congress to pass legislation to codify that “fundamental” right into federal law.
Last week, from Madrid in a speech to NATO leaders Biden criticized the “outrageous behavior” of the U.S. Supreme Court and called on the Senate to change the filibuster to allow a simple majority to codify Roe v. Wade and other essential rights to privacy into federal law.
And last Friday in a virtual roundtable with Democratic governors Biden blasted the “extremist” Supreme Court and promised he will protect women traveling across state lines to obtain an abortion and will protect women’s rights to FDA-approved abortion drugs.
The President will speak at 11:30 AM from the Roosevelt Room. Vice President Kamala Harris and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will join President Biden.
Watch the President live below or at this link: