President Biden on Wednesday will issue an executive order aimed at protecting people’s ability to travel out-of-state to access abortion.
The big picture: This would be the second executive order the president has issued to preserve abortion access following the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
State of play: Biden will sign the executive order during the first meeting of the White House’s Task Force on Reproductive Health Care, which is focused on coordinating the federal government’s efforts on reproductive health.
Details: The executive order directs the Department of Health and Human Services to “consider action to advance access” to reproductive health services, including through Medicaid for patients who travel out-of-state.
- Biden is also asking HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to consider “all appropriate actions” to ensure that health providers follow federal nondiscrimination laws so that people can “receive medically necessary care without delay.”
- Becerra must also “evaluate and improve research, data collection, and data analysis efforts” on maternal health.
Zoom out: While the Biden administration has taken several steps to respond to the Supreme Court ruling, the executive branch’s role when it comes to protecting abortion care is limited without congressional action.
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