by Frank Butler, Orlando Advocate
“A patient comes into an emergency room in any state in the union, she is … experiencing a life-threatening miscarriage, but the doctor is going to be so concerned about being criminalized for treating her they delay treatment to call the hospital lawyer, who’s concerned the hospital will be penalized if the doctor provides the life-saving care.”
This is a possible scenrio laid out by President Biden in his overview of the recent Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade.
“It’s outrageous,” the president said. “I don’t care what your position is, it’s outrageous and it’s dangerous.”
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris along with Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra held a joint press conference to announce his signing of an executive order to expand women’s access to abortion rights within the limitations imposed by the Supreme Court ruling.
The executive order attempts to safeguard access to abortion and emergency contraception medicine, protect patient privacy, provide information about the legal options available to those seeking and providing abortion services. Alice Miranda Ollstein, of Politico, says it will also provide an “army of pro bono lawyers to help defend people criminally charged for providing the procedure.”
CNN prepared a summary of what’s in the executive order. Click here to view it.
Where state abortion bans stand amid legal challenges
“President Biden has made clear that the only way to secure a woman’s right to choose is for Congress to restore the protections of Roe as federal law. Until then, he has committed to doing everything in his power to defend reproductive rights and protect access to safe and legal abortion,” the White House said in a statement last Friday.
Some opponents of the Supreme Court ruling pressed Biden to allow abortion providers to work from federal property in states where the procedure is banned, but the admnistration declined. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said using federal lands for abortion services would have “dangerous ramifications.”
Biden said that with 2 additional pro-abortion Senators and a “pro-choice house” that Congress could “codify Roe as federal law.”
“I don’t think the court or for that matter the Republicans who for decades have pushed this extreme agenda have a clue about the power of American women,” the president said. “But they’re about to find out.”
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Nikki Fried (D-FL) released the following statement on Twitter following issuance of the executive order:
“I am pleased to see the Biden-Harris Administration has taken much-needed action to protect access to abortion and combat misinformation following the outrageous Supreme Court ruling taking away women’s rights. As a woman, an attorney, and an elected official, I have grave concerns over the impact of the overturning of Roe on the health and privacy of our entire community. Anti-choice politicians are creating a world where all women are treated as pre-pregnant, impacting their access to all types of health care and opportunities. It is an egregious violation that should be sickening to all Americans. I hope this step is just the beginning of great federal action to guarantee everyone has access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care without fear.”
Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL), who is also running for governor, had not released a statement regarding the Biden executive order at the time of this writing.
