Biden Signs Executive Order Protecting Women Who Travel For Abortions

President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a second executive order regarding women’s healthcare to help women travel out of state to get an abortion.

The provision follows the Supreme Court’s decision to return the right to the states to decide how they will approach reproduction rights.

Tuesday’s executive will also make sure that health providers follow the law when treating women who need medical care and support maternal health research. It follows Biden’s first executive order which was aimed at bolstering reproductive health care services, including increasing access to abortion pills, directing health care services on better-ensuring patient privacy when it comes to giving authorities information and forming a group of pro bono lawyers to assist women and health care providers who are criminally charged with having or helping someone have an abortion.

“We’re doing everything in our power to safeguard access to healthcare, including the right to choose that women had under Roe v. Wade which was ripped away by this extreme court,” Biden said prior to signing the executive order.

He then called on Congress to codify the protections of Roe, adding that if they fail to act, voters need to focus on the elections to vote for lawmakers who will advocate for women’s reproductive rights.

Biden also praised Kansas voters, who on Tuesday, voted against a measure that would have given the GOP legislature a way to further restrict or ban abortion rights. Instead, they voted to keep in place a 22-week period from the time of conception where abortions are legal. Kansas has been and will remain a safe haven for residents of surrounding states like Texas that heavily restrict abortion access.

“In a decisive victory, voters made it clear that politicians should not interfere with the fundamental rights of women. And the voters of Kansas sent a powerful signal that this fall the American people will vote to preserve and protect the right and refuse to let them be ripped away by politicians,” Biden said. “And my administration has their back.”