President Biden and Vice President Harris Join Reproductive Rights Groups One Year After Dobbs Decision

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Friday, EMILYs List, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and NARAL Pro-Choice America joined the DNC as part of a joint effort to endorse the reelection of the Biden-Harris administration just one day before the one-year mark of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. At the event, EMILYs List announced the endorsement of Vice President Harris, Planned Parenthood Action Fund announced the endorsement of President Biden, and NARAL Pro-Choice America announced the endorsement of both President Biden and Vice President Harris. 

The reproductive rights groups joined together at the event to support the reelection of the Biden-Harris administration as critical to protecting and advancing reproductive freedom in America. Speakers at the event included President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, EMILYs List President Laphonza Butler, Planned Parenthood Action Fund President & CEO Alexis McGill Johnson, and NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju. 

Virginia McGregor, co-chair of the DNC’s Women’s Leadership Forum, kicked off the event with powerful opening remarks that highlighted the importance of abortion heading into the election year.

“Make no mistake, this election is about freedom, and I can’t think of three organizations that have had more of an impact on abortion rights than the ones here today,” said President Joe Biden. “To state the obvious, since the Dobbs decision, we have seen the devastating effects all across the country. Republicans have no clue the power women in this country have, and they are about to find… out the same way they did in the midterm elections. Americans will not stand by and let the Supreme Court take away a fundamental right. We will not remain silent. Because we know Republicans won’t stop until they have a national ban on abortion. Just this last year, Republicans in Congress have proposed three national bans. If somehow Congress passes a national ban, I will veto it. The court got Roe right 50 years ago, and I believe Congress can restore the protections of Roe once and for all.”

“We are here because we love our country and believe in our foundational principles. I’ve been proud to work with these organizations over the course of my career on so many issues, especially freedom, and am honored to accept the endorsement of these three organizations,” said Vice President Kamala Harris. “A year ago, the Supreme Court took the right from every woman to make decisions about her own body. The impact is clear, and a year later, it’s still clear that extremists in Congress plan to ban abortion nationwide, and President Biden and I will not accept that. When you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for. This administration stands with every American, and will fight for the freedom of every person everywhere to make decisions about their own body.”

“Make no mistake, Republicans are out to have a national ban on abortion. We knew that with the Dobbs decision,” said Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. “We have to let Republicans know that there are consequences to their actions and that there is a price to pay for disrespecting women and their right to health care. We don’t agonize, we organize because we know what’s going on in our districts because we listen to our constituents.”

“We are in a fight for our freedom. In states across the country, Republicans are working overtime to take away our freedoms, but we know that the majority of Americans support the right to abortion,” said Laphonza Butler, EMILYs List President. “Voters deserve leaders that will fight to protect their rights and choices. They deserve the most pro-choice administration we have ever seen. As we gather here a year after the Dobss decision, the difference could not be more stark. Anti-choice Republicans are working to chip away at our rights and ban abortion nationwide, while Democratic pro-choice women like Vice President Kamala Harris are working to protect those rights. Who you elect matters, and that starts at the top. That’s why we are dedicated to supporting this hard-working ticket and are thrilled to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for reelection.”

“President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been steadfast in their commitment to protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Biden-Harris administration has taken important action to protect patients and providers, to give them accurate information, and to let them know that they are not alone — that there are people in positions of power fighting for them. This is what leadership looks like — meeting moments of uncertainty with boldness and clarity. There is more work to be done to feign off a national abortion ban and rebuild access to care for the people across the country. Planned Parenthood Action Fund will do everything we can to keep Joe Biden and Kamala Harris where they belong to finish the job.”

“In 22 states plus DC, we have pro-reproductive freedom majorities in power who are codifying our rights into law,” said Mini Timmaraju, NARAL Pro-Choice America President. “These changes are happening because abortion matters in the everyday lives of everyday people. Poll after poll shows that a majority of Americans support abortion rights and oppose abortion bans, including an increasing number of independents and Republicans. Support for abortion access is at a record high. We have a moral obligation to engage these Americans in 2024 to deliver critical wins for our communities to restore and expand abortion access.”

Other speakers that evening included remarks from First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who spoke about what’s at stake this election cycle and introduced Vice President Kamala Harris. OB/GYN and abortion provider Dr. Serina Floyd highlighted the impact of the Dobbs decision on patients across the nation before introducing President Joe Biden.

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EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, works to elect Democratic pro-choice women up and down the ballot and across the country with a goal of fighting for our rights and our communities. Our work is centered around a fundamental vision: Run. Win. Change the World. EMILYs List has raised $850 million in service to that vision and has helped Democratic women win competitive elections by recruiting and training candidates, supporting and helping build strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, running one of the largest independent expenditure operations for Democrats, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect the country’s first woman as vice president, 175 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 20 governors, and over 1,500 women to state and local office. More than 40% of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Visit www.emilyslist.org for more information.

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.

For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. NARAL is powered by its 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.