President Biden Signs Executive Order on Reproductive Health

by Shannon Augustus

WASHINGTON — Today the League of Women Voters of the United States President Dr. Deborah Turner and CEO Virginia Kase Solomón issued the following joint statement in response to President Biden’s executive order on reproductive health:  

“We commend the Biden administration for standing up for reproductive health, including access to abortion. The freedom for women and those who may become pregnant to make decisions for their bodies, lives, and future is health care, and every person must have the right to access quality health care.   

"This executive order will direct the Health & Human Services department to ensure access to reproductive health services including access to contraception, family planning services, and FDA- approved medication abortion, while protecting the privacy of patients seeking abortions. The order also establishes an interagency task force to coordinate federal responses and policy-making while working to provide assistance to states offering legal protections to out-of-state patients and providers.   

"The Supreme Court’s ruling overturning the constitutional right to an abortion strips those who may become pregnant of the freedom to make decisions regarding their own personal health care. We commend President Biden for taking these additional steps to protect access to reproductive health care, however, Congress must still take steps to codify and protect reproductive freedom, like passing the Women’s Health Protection Act.  

The League of Women Voters remains committed to protecting women and those who may become pregnant in the fight for reproductive freedom. We will continue to hold our legislators accountable at all levels because access to quality health care is critical to our democracy.