The Biden campaign marked the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision on abortion rights by criticizing former President Trump for restricting reproductive rights.
Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats aimed to rally support for protecting current abortion access, urging volunteers and voters to mobilize around this issue ahead of the upcoming election.
“Donald Trump is the sole person responsible for this nightmare,” the president said in a statement.
The statement reflects President Biden’s view that the Supreme Court’s reversal two years ago of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision from 1973, which guaranteed constitutional protection for abortion rights, has had a profoundly negative impact, describing it as “devastating.”
“This is a fight for freedom: the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not having her government tell her what to do,” Harris said at a campaign event in Maryland.
During his presidency from 2017 to 2021, Donald Trump appointed three conservative justices to the Supreme Court.
This shift in the court’s balance contributed to a pivotal ruling on abortion in 2022, reflecting a change in judicial direction influenced by Trump’s appointments.
“In the case of the stealing of reproductive freedom from the women of America, Donald Trump is guilty,” she said.
Since the 2022 Supreme Court ruling on abortion, over 20 states led by Republican administrations have enacted various restrictions on abortion.
These measures reflect a conservative push to limit access to abortion following the court’s decision.
This is a fight for freedom: the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not having her government tell her what to do”- a statement by an official
Additionally, the unpopularity of these restrictions, even in some traditionally conservative states, has posed political challenges for Republicans during the 2022 midterm elections, turning abortion into a contentious political issue.
Abortion access has significantly diminished in Southern states, leading tens of thousands of women to travel across state lines for abortions. This restriction has also led to an increase in the use of medication abortion methods.
President Biden’s team perceives the abortion issue as potentially pivotal in the upcoming November 5 election.
If re-elected, Biden aims to prioritize passing legislation that reinstates the protections of Roe v. Wade, as highlighted by White House gender policy council chair Jennifer Klein.
In contrast, former President Trump expressed support in April for letting individual states determine their own abortion laws, distancing himself from a national abortion ban that some anti-abortion groups and factions within his Republican Party advocate for.
Former President Trump addressed evangelical voters at the Faith & Freedom Coalition, emphasizing his administration’s achievement of shifting abortion regulation from the federal government back to individual states. This move aligns with longstanding goals of the pro-life movement.
In response, some Republican lawmakers have introduced a resolution in Congress to celebrate the 2022 Supreme Court ruling on abortion. However, its passage is unlikely in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, criticized the Biden administration for what she perceives as neglecting the interests of both pregnant women and unborn children. She also condemned the administration’s stance against efforts by the pro-life movement to protect what they view as the most vulnerable members of society.
