President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday to strengthen access to contraception.
The order comes just ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned abortion protections from Roe v. Wade and put access to contraception and other reproductive health care at greater risk.
The order says the overturning of Roe has made access to contraception and family planning services more important than ever, and calls out states and state officials that have set policies that interfere with this access.
"Such policies further threaten women’s ability to make decisions about their own bodies, families, and futures. These threats persist despite decades of Supreme Court precedent," the order reads.
The order directs cabinet agencies to consider policies that would cover expanded contraception access under the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid and Medicare, as well as increased access to over-the-counter contraception.
The order also calls for increased access to contraception through federal health care programs, as administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Personnel Management.
Poll: Ohio divided on ballot measure threatening abortion protections
This is the first indication of Ohio voters' sentiments before a crucial summer vote that will impact the future of reproductive rights in the state.
The order is part of a broader push to protect abortion rights and reproductive health care, and comes on the same day that conservative leadership called to restrict abortion access. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is running for the GOP's 2024 nomination for president, called on his fellow candidates to support a 15-week federal ban on abortions.
