Joe Biden Signs Order to Safeguard Access to Abortion

President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the result of the referendum on abortion in Kansas is a sign that in the fall, in the midterm elections, citizens will bet on protecting the right of women. Kansas voters gave a powerful signal that this fall the American people will vote to protect their rights, taken away by politicians, and my administration stands behind them,” Biden said at the first public meeting of the reproductive rights task force, in which he participated virtually. Biden, who has received widespread criticism as not doing enough to defend abortion rights, today signed an executive order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to provide coverage to patients seeking “reproductive health services” in a state where they are legal. The signing comes hours after Kansas voters rallied to keep abortion rights intact in the first statewide referendum on the issue since the Supreme Court in June overturned Roe v. Wade, which eliminated the federal right to abortion and gave states the power to legislate on the issue. The consultation was especially relevant because it may set a precedent for other states. Also present at Wednesday’s meeting was Vice President Kamala Harris, who said the people of Kansas “spoke loud and clear yesterday” and said they “trust women to make decisions about their own lives and their bodies.” Kansas voters will come out in favor of keeping abortion legal. Photo: AP In addition, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland was present, who insisted that the prosecution will respond to each of the laws promoted by the states, a fight that will include the filing of lawsuits, such as the one announced yesterday against Idaho. prosecutors denounced Idaho for saying its anti-abortion law “criminalizes doctors” and prevents them from freely performing terminations of pregnancy when a woman’s health is at risk. Wednesday’s meeting was the first public meeting of the working group on reproductive rights, made up of members of the different agencies of the US Government, created as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision and which is dedicated to evaluating “the changing landscape” of state laws. The order signed today commits that patients seeking “reproductive health services” are covered by the federal program of medical subsidies to low-income people, known as Medicaid.It also seeks to ensure that health care providers comply with non-discrimination laws, especially in the chaotic and uncertain scenario opened up after the Supreme Court’s decision.We recommend you read:   The executive order also aims to promote research and collect data on the effects of reduced access to reproductive services on mothers’ health. Shooting reported at July 4 parade in Chicago

Original source in Spanish