HHS Secretary Becerra Vows to Increase Access to ‘Medication Abortion’ after ‘Despicable’ Dobbs Ruling
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Xavier Becerra, secretary of the Biden administration’s Department of Health and Human Services, called the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization “despicable” on Tuesday, pledging his full attention to expanding access to abortion services in the face of it.
According to Becerra, HHS is “keeping all options on the table” and “has been preparing for this for some time.” Becerra stopped short of saying the department would participate in mailing abortion pills to states where the procedure is outlawed, but told reporters to “stay tuned” on that front. U.S. law prohibits federal dollars from directly funding abortion.
NEW: HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra on “despicable” decision overturning Roe v. Wade: “HHS has been preparing for this for some time.”
“There is no magic bullet — but if there is something we can do, we will find it, and we will do it at HHS.” https://t.co/RrzIrXfVLb pic.twitter.com/07cZhZches
— ABC News (@ABC) June 28, 2022
Becerra has a long history of pro-abortion activism, dating back to his efforts to prosecute pro-life activists as California’s attorney general.
The comments at a formal press conference on Tuesday come after Becerra hinted at flouting the Hyde Amendment — the specific provision preventing federal spending on abortion — at the Aspen Ideas Summit on Monday. There, Becerra said HHS might participate in helping transport women who want abortions out of states with prohibition into those with more permissive laws.
Asked if that would be consistent with U.S. law, Becerra grinned and replied “talk to me later.”
WATCH: HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra tells NBC News he’s considering providing taxpayer funded transportation for out-of-state abortions.
NBC NEWS: “Can you do that legally?”
SEC. BECERRA: [laughs] “Talk to me later…I would tell you if, uh—you’re recording so I wont tell you.” pic.twitter.com/jYixs66aGb
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 27, 2022
Becerra also announced the rollout of a new HHS website dedicated “to providing you with accurate and up-to-date information about access to and coverage of reproductive health care and services.” Among other things, the site directs users to third-party site that can offer to fund abortions for those who cannot afford them and provide information on state laws.
The secretary said that he would do everything in his power to “clarify” for Americans “what their rights are.”
“There is no magic bullet — but if there is something we can do, we will find it, and we will do it at HHS,” promised Becerra.
