US government tells hospitals they must provide abortions in cases of emergency, regardless of state law
USA TodayDec 20, 2022
Biden Admin: Doctors Must Offer Abortion in Medical Emergencies
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Image copyright: AFP/Getty Images [via The Guardian]
The Facts
On Mon. the Biden admin. released updated guidance for doctors and healthcare providers, highlighting a federal law that protects them if they provide emergency abortion services.
US Health and Human Services Sec. Xavier Becerra declared that "under the law, no matter where you live, women have the right to emergency care - including abortion care." He added that "as frontline health care providers" federal law "protects your clinical judgment and the action that you take to provide stabilizing medical treatment."
The Spin
Democratic narrative
While the president doesn't have the direct power to overturn the Supreme Court's decision, this move once again shows that the administration is taking steps to ensure that women in the US have access to abortion services and birth control. Biden's administration is helping protect vulnerable women caught in this terrible situation.
Republican narrative
Biden's attempts to erode the Supreme Court's ruling not only threaten the integrity of the judicial branch, but also federalism itself. He's encouraging violent protesters to continue their vigilantism and violent behavior, and risks splitting the Democratic party over proposed action. He needs to stop.
