25 U.S. Senators Urge Biden to Issue Executive Order Protecting Abortion Rights: 'An All-Hands-on-D

[niyad]

25 U.S. Senators Urge Biden to Issue Executive Order Protecting Abortion Rights: ‘An All-Hands-on-Deck Moment’
6/13/2022 by Carrie N. Baker
As the Supreme Court prepares to overturn Roe, senators urge Biden to “demonstrate to the country and women everywhere that you will do everything in your power to fight back.”



From left, Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) conduct a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol to voice support of abortion rights, on May 19, 2022. (Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)



U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led 23 of their Senate colleagues last week in a letter to President Biden urging him to immediately issue an executive order directing the federal government to develop a national plan to defend Americans’ fundamental reproductive rights, including their right to an abortion.“This is an all-hands-on-deck moment to protect abortion rights. With the Supreme Court likely to overturn Roe v. Wade any day now—fulfilling Republicans’ radical, decades-long push to ban abortion—we need an all of government plan to protect every American’s reproductive rights,” said Murray, who serves as chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

. . . .


The senators’ letter calls for Biden to mobilize the “full force of the federal government” to protect the right to abortion.

“We urge you to immediately issue an executive order instructing the leaders of every federal agency to submit their plans to protect the right to an abortion within 30 days. Americans across the country are at risk of losing their fundamental rights, including their constitutional right to abortion protected for generations. They deserve no less than a whole-of-government response.”
The letter lays out several specific recommendations, including:

Increasing access to medication abortion.
Providing resources for individuals seeking abortion care in other states, such as vouchers for travel, childcare services and other forms of support.
Establishing a reproductive health ombudsman at the Department of Health and Human Services to educate the public and analyze data about access to reproductive services.
Enforcing the “Free Choice of Provider” requirements guaranteeing Medicaid beneficiaries the freedom to seek family planning services from their provider of choice.
Clarifying protections for sensitive health and location data to prevent the sale of personally identifiable information from websites and apps (such as period trackers) in states that criminalize reproductive decision-making.
Using federal property and resources to increase access to abortion, such as providing federal employees with paid time off and reimbursement for expenses necessary to access abortion.

“Democrats need to use every tool at their disposal to protect women and their constitutional right to an abortion. President Biden’s executive authority to marshall the resources of the entire federal government is one of our most powerful tools. With an extremist Supreme Court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, now is the time to act,” said Warren.


https://msmagazine.com/2022/06/13/biden-executive-order-abortion/

[wackadoo wabbit]

1. How sad that this has only 6 recs, but stupid retweets generally get dozens of recs

Where are our priorities?

[Polybius]

6. It's hard to rec something that you disagree with

As others have said, no executive order could protect abortion rights.

[Karma13612]

13. Then why are Senators

Asking the President to issue an executive order????

I would think they are fairly certain he can do something, otherwise they are making fools of themselves.

[Polybius]

14. Because they are thinking with their feelings, and not with their law degrees

I'm not calling any of them liars, as they might actually believe that an executive order would work. But they would all be wrong. Many times throughout our history Senators have asked the President to do something that either wouldn't work or would be flat out in defiance of the law.

[electric_blue68]

18. Their feelings ... considering that millions of their "fellow" women sisters are about to be ...

consigned to possible, probable forced births I'd say they have every right to think with their feelings, so to speak.

[Karma13612]

19. At least, if nothing else,

It will show that they are in support of women’s reproductive choice.

[brooklynite]

2. Meaningless...

Executive Orders are directives to Executive Branch offices that must be compliant with existing law. Unless the US Government is going to open clinics where women can get abortions, there's no executive policy that will protect them from State restrictions.

[Takket]

4. yeah. i think this would actually do more harm than good

the last thing we want is to make any voters believe that abortion has been "protected" because they "saw Biden issued an executive order about it!" We need people good and pissed off on election day if we are EVER going to get our rights back.

[Moosepoop]

7. Maybe the US Government could do just that.

From the letter:

6. Using federal property and resources to increase access to abortion. The Department of
Justice and all relevant agencies could analyze the types of reproductive health services that could
be provided on federal property, especially in states where such services are limited by state law
or regulation. ...

[brooklynite]

8. Will never happen...

Setting aside the fact that there are no funds in the HHS budget for this, it would set the precedent that if the Federal Government was providing abortion and reproductive health services, it should provide other medical services as well. And before you say "of course", let's be honest; President Biden will not be establishing that policy. Hence, "meaningless".

[Moosepoop]

10. Meaningless to you, perhaps.

The proposal by the senators is for Biden to issue an EO "directing the federal government to
develop a national plan to defend Americans’ fundamental reproductive rights, including their right to an abortion."

They are asking him to direct every federal agency to submit a plan for doing so within 30 days. They included suggestions such as ANALYZING -- not immediately implementing -- the types of services that could be provided on federal property.

As pointed out in the letter, Biden has already issued the same type of EOs concerning systemic racism, voter registration/participation, and competition in the American economy. This issue is no less urgent. "Funds" for submitting plans are not a prerequisite.

And before you say "Hyde Amendment" (as someone else already has), that is simply a policy that has been repeatedly renewed by Congress, but can also be eliminated by Congress. That fight will have to take place there. Pressure on our representatives and senators to eliminate that rider needs to come from us.

I know which side I'm on.

[former9thward]

9. The Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funding for abortion services.

They could not be done on federal property.

[Moosepoop]

11. Yes, it does.

For as long as the Hyde Amendment is in effect. The Democratic Party and Biden campaigned on getting rid of it in 2020.
Congress has to do it, and that's a fight that needs to be had. I'm going to join that fight. How about you?

[Polybius]

16. Would that need 60 votes to pass the Senate?

Manchin supports the Hyde Amendment BTW.

[Moosepoop]

17. Yes, it would.

And as I said, it would be a fight. But it's a fight that needs to be had. So is the fight to get more Dem senators elected -- that's a must.

[mcar]

3. What would that accomplish, exactly?

[Moosepoop]

5. Link to the letter:

https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2022.06.07%20Letter%20to%20POTUS%20on%20Abortion%20EO.pdf

It's worth a read -- there are some good ideas contained in it. Not a magic wand to erase all of the effects that would come with the overturning of Roe, but some good actions nonetheless.

[Karma13612]

12. The Feds need

To purchase land in anti-abortion strangled states and allow Planned Parenthood centers to build and staff clinics on the land.

And look into using the protected Native American reservations as well.