INDIANAPOLIS – The battle over abortion continues in Indiana and across the country. President Biden took federal action on the issue this week, signing an executive order to preserve certain abortion rights in the wake of the landmark ruling from the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The order asks federal agencies to create ways to help women with travel to states with less restrictive abortion laws. It also assists with legal representation, as well as access to both contraction and reproductive care. The president also mentioned a recent investigation by The Indianapolis Star, describing a 10-year-old rape victim’s need to travel to Indiana, due to new restrictions in neighboring Ohio.
“What we’re witnessing is a giant step backwards,” President Biden said. “The practice of medicine should not be frozen in the 19th century.”
Meanwhile, a key Democratic state lawmaker met with the Vice President to find a way forward on protecting abortion rights. House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) was in Washington, D.C. to meet with Vice President Harris, along with Democratic leadership from several other states.
“Indiana comes down to [abortion] being a pretty big voting issue down in November… and we as legislators or the president just needs to remind folks what’s on the line, what’s at stake here in November,” Rep. GiaQuinta said.
Rep. GiaQuinta pushed back at concerns that the party looks “helpless in this moment.”
“Now that [the SCOTUS ruling] has happened, I think you’re going to see a lot of mobilization of voters, particularly women,” Rep. Giaquinta said.
The same day state lawmakers met with the Vice President, there was a major ruling on restricting a certain type of second trimester procedure here in Indiana. State lawmakers had initially passed the measure through the legislature, but it had been held up in court.
It’s all leading up to the Indiana General Assembly’s special session now beginning on July 25th.
Watch more on state lawmakers meeting with Vice President Harris, as well as the court’s ruling here in Indiana, in the video above.
