Biden Administration Announces Anti-Life Initatives on Roe v. Wade Anniversary

In a significant move on the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, President Joe Biden's administration unveiled plans to enhance access to surgical abortion, chemical abortion, and contraceptives. 

Photo credit: Hal Gatewood

Highlights

By Catholic Online (California Network)
1/22/2024 (10 months ago)

Published in Marriage & Family

Keywords: pro-life, Catholic perspective, abortion, contraception, Biden administration, reproductive healthcare access

The White House's strategy includes new directives from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to bolster surgical abortion under the umbrella of federal law ensuring "emergency medical treatment." Simultaneously, the administration continues to advance executive actions to streamline access to chemical abortions through federal regulations. This may arguably be an overstepping of the Federal Government's Constitutional mandate, in addition to being a failure to protect innocent human life. 

Expressing faux concern for women's health, the White House cited challenges posed by state abortion bans, describing them as causing "chaos and confusion." The administration aims to address these concerns by providing "guidance and education" (dictates and indoctrination) to healthcare workers and patients on federal requirements within the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTLA). While the 1986 law doesn't explicitly mention abortion, the administration interprets it as potentially including abortion care in certain circumstances.

The clash between federal and state regulations becomes evident as the administration contends that federal regulations can supersede state restrictions. This debate is expected to culminate in a Supreme Court ruling in June, particularly in light of the Department of Justice's lawsuit against Idaho challenging the interpretation of EMTLA.

The administration's commitment to facilitating chemical abortion is underscored by actions outlined in President Biden's 2023 memorandum. The memorandum directs agencies to draft guidance supporting access to chemical abortion and to study ways to reduce barriers to obtaining these deadly drugs.

Parallelly, pro-life medical groups challenge the FDA's approval and subsequent deregulation of the abortion drug mifepristone. The Supreme Court's upcoming decision on this matter holds significant implications for the future of abortion regulations.

In addition to abortion-related initiatives, the administration emphasizes support for contraception. HHS will issue directives to private insurers and Medicaid and Medicare plans about obligations to cover "affordable contraception." The Office of Personnel Management will require insurers participating in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program to educate enrollees about contraception benefits. The Church teaches that the use of artificial contraception is morally wrong. 

The administration's comprehensive approach is framed as an effort to enhance reproductive healthcare access, but abortion is not healthcare. Healthcare implies an effort to preserve, protect, and save life. Abortion, which inherently kills a human person, is precisely the opposite of healthcare.