Post-Roe v. Wade: Women's Right to Choose Healthcare Faces Harsh Republican Roadblocks

Huge Election Issue for 2022 and 2024

(And forthcoming years)

Very nasty fallout from the June ruling overturning Roe v. Wade as outlined in this fine article from Business Insider with this headline – key points I want to emphasize follow (formatted to fit the blog):

“Here's what Biden can do to help Americans retain abortion access now that Roe v. Wade is overturned, advocates say”

Total abortion bans or partial bans or pending bans vary state-by-state, but most serious is this from mostly GOP “Red” conservative-run states like Texas and Oklahoma. They have enacted “vigilante abortion laws that encourage citizens to report those who they think have assisted in providing an abortion” even offering rewards “bounty” for reporting possible state line crossing women. In total, eight states have banned abortion since the Supreme Court ruling on June 24, but courts have temporarily blocked abortion bans in Louisiana and Utah, allowing patients to receive care in the meantime. 

Here is what President Biden said about how he intends to fight to protect a woman’s right to travel across state lines to get abortion care: “If any state or local official, high or low, tries to interfere with a woman's exercising her basic right to travel, I will do everything in my power to fight that deeply un-American attack.”

Offer federal support or grants to travel out of state for abortion care:

Experts have pointed out that many women will be forced to travel across state lines to access abortions, for example in Illinois — which share borders with states that immediately implemented bans on abortion after the Supreme Court ruling. They are now bracing for an influx of women crossing into their states for care. 

Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president of the non-profit Public Citizen, said that the Biden administration could establish grants for people who need to travel to get abortion care, adding: “State-by-state there will be different requirements and limitations, so the cost of traveling to a place where you can get this care is part of the issue. So figuring out ways to assist, providing grants or other mechanisms for funding to reach women who need to travel would be a thing for them to consider.” 

FYI: Any action the administration takes would again have to be in compliance with the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the use of federal funds for abortion care. 

Provide easier access to abortion medication like mifepristone.

Gilbert further said that the Biden administration could also do things like loosen restrictions on prescribing that abortion pill like the FDA did in December when they lifted a measure that required patients to visit a clinic or doctor in person in order to obtain mifepristone, one of the drugs used in a medical abortion (NY TIMES report).

Gilbert added: “The federal government could help make abortion medication easier to access, the abortion pill. They've already made it easier for women to get abortion pills by mail or prescribed through telemedicine, but they can also change the guidelines to allow any medical provider to write a prescription for the medication and could expand where you can get it, to which pharmacies it could be gotten at. So that's a pretty straightforward thing that would be wonderful to see.”

Help people understand abortion laws state by state as well as their rights:

Ms. Gilbert went on to say one of the biggest ways the Biden administration can help is “just helping people understand abortion law.”

Gilbert concluded saying: “This sort of patchwork that I was describing is going to be a huge problem. It's state-by-state, and it's going to be evolving very regularly, we would imagine. So making sure that the administration is being helpful on that front.”

NOTE: One day after the Roe ruling, the HHS issued a guide to help women know their rights on reproductive care on their website. 

My 2 Cents: Let’s expand on this insane Republican mindset about restricting a woman’s right to travel to another state to receive her own private health care. Consider this supposition.

Let’s say a man, any man or men, in Republican government or in TX or OK or another “Red” run state, that now is or may ban intra-state travel by a woman seeking medical care is told by his doctor that he needs some special operation to repair, improve, fix, cure, or improve his sex organ or sexual mental or general health problem, or in get a medical procedure to save his life that he state does not have.

But, then he hears his state tell him: “Nope – no can do – you cannot travel to FL, IL, CA, or NY or leave here to get that possible life-saving care or treatment.”

What do you think that man would do or say or try? Simple to guess, isn’t it?

In closing: (1) Abortion rights; (2) Right to vote free, fair, safe, and secure (and have our vote count); (3) Common sense gun control; and (4) Repairing national unity must be major voter concerns for our democracy’s sake and future generation’s well-being.

Thanks for stopping by.