Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Action Fund Release 2023 Review of Biden-Harris Record on Protecting Reproductive Freedom

Report outlines the significant policy actions taken by the Biden-Harris administration in 2023 to address the ongoing abortion access crisis and broader sexual and reproductive health and rights issues in the U.S. and around the world

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund released their 2023 review of the Biden-Harris administration’s work to protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care. As anti-abortion policymakers in Congress and around the country continued to push for abortion bans and other restrictions the Biden-Harris administration worked to protect abortion access and make sexual and reproductive health care more accessible in the U.S. and across the globe.

Statement from Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund

“From the very start, the Biden-Harris administration set out to protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care and has been steadfast ever since. Amid the ever-changing landscape of abortion access since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the administration has consistently served as a much-needed backstop against dangerous efforts to prevent people from getting the care they need. Planned Parenthood Action Fund appreciates the Biden-Harris administration’s continued leadership and partnership in rebuilding abortion rights and fortifying access to the full range of sexual and reproductive health care.”

When patients needed access to sexual and reproductive health care, the Biden-Harris administration took proactive steps:

• The FDA permanently lifted the in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone to allow for greater access, particularly via telehealth, and approved Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control pill.
• The administration launched the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis to strengthen social and economic support for people during and after pregnancy.
• The White House worked with the DEA to issue temporary rules allowing pandemic-era prescribing flexibilities to continue — crucial for patients prescribed testosterone for gender-affirming hormone therapy and for whom an in-person evaluation may not be possible.
• HHS strengthened access to birth control coverage without cost-sharing through employer-sponsored and university student health insurance plans, as required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
• The administration proposed budget increases to the Title X program, funding for STI treatment, testing, and international family planning programs, and provisions to end the Hyde Amendment and close the Medicaid coverage gap.

While courts decided cases that resulted in restricting access to care, President Biden:

• Nominated and worked with Senate leadership to confirm a record number of highly qualified judges who demonstrate commitment to protecting the inherent right to equality under the law and the right for individuals to make their most personal decisions, including two judges, Nicole Berner and Julie Rikelman, with deep expertise on reproductive health issues.
• The administration continuously defended access to medication abortion, also known as mifepristone, in the courts, as well as  people’s access to emergency pregnancy care under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), and the right of people to travel to access care in a different state.

When the public needed to hear about the state of reproductive freedom, the Biden-Harris administration used the bully pulpit to keep the issue front and center:

• President Biden highlighted the importance of protecting access to reproductive care in the State of the Union and First Lady Jill Biden invited guests with compelling personal stories to sit with her during the speech.
• Vice President Harris embarked on a seven campus Fight For Our Freedoms College Tour, delivered five high profile speeches on reproductive health care, and leveraged her social media platforms to highlight the stories of patients and providers.
• Administration officials, including First Lady Biden, Vice President Harris, and HHS Secretary Becerra, hosted several roundtables to hear directly from sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice leaders, providers and other experts.

When communities around the globe looked to the U.S. for leadership on reproductive freedom, the Biden-Harris administration took steps to protect access and provide guidance:

• Administration officials, including First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Harris, and HHS Sec. Becerra, highlighted sexual and reproductive health during international visits.
• USAID updated the Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Policy and created the first-ever LGBTQI+ Inclusive Development Policy to emphasize the importance of access to sexual and reproductive health care and reverse harmful anti-SRHR and anti-LGBTQI+ policies made during the previous administration.
• The administration released a comprehensive resource to combat misinformation following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision for the global community.
• The State Department continued to include reporting on violations of reproductive rights (which was excluded during the prior administration) in the 2022 State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (released in March 2023).

The full report is available here.

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Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational, advocacy, and limited electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.