Biden and Harris joining key reproductive rights groups ahead of Dobbs anniversary

CNN

The Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden will join three key reproductive rights activists groups on Friday to celebrate the Dobbs Supreme Court ruling's one-year anniversary. This is expected to be an important Biden campaign theme for the presidential election in 2024.

This week, the Biden campaign and administration have made a concerted effort to promote reproductive rights messages ahead of the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling. They are leveraging the moment and focusing on a topic that energized voters in 2022.

Biden and Harris are hosting an event in Washington DC on Friday, alongside EMILYs List and NARAL Pro-Choice America. Harris, who held a roundtable discussion on reproductive rights Tuesday on MSNBC and will also be giving a major address on Saturday's anniversary in Charlotte North Carolina, is the latest to announce this.

First lady Jill Biden held an emotional discussion with four women on Tuesday. They shared their personal stories about how the Dobbs ruling and subsequent state restrictions on abortion affected their medical care.

The first lady stated that the Dobbs ruling was devastating and Joe is fighting back in every way he can. "But the only thing we can do to ensure that all women have the freedoms they deserve is for Congress make Roe v. Wade law once more."

Biden has limited executive powers, but he's signed a number of executive orders to improve access to abortion and urged Congress to codify Roe v. Wade.

The Biden administration confirmed to CNN that the President will sign an executive ordering strengthening access to contraception on Friday. The executive order instructs the secretary for Treasury, the secretary of Labor and the secretary for Health and Human Services that they should consider guidelines to ensure private health insurance covered under the Affordable Care Act includes all FDA-approved contraception methods. This is in contrast to the current guidance which only mandates one contraceptive method per FDA category.

There is nothing he can do to restore the right to abortion in all of America.

The Biden campaign still believes that reproductive rights are a major motivator for voters. Images of abortion rights activists feature prominently in Biden's launch video of his reelection bid 2024.

According to Edison Research's preliminary national and state exit surveys conducted for CNN, and other news channels, in the midterm elections of 2022, 27% of voters will cite abortion as their most important issue.

This event comes at a time when the campaign is beginning to form coalitions around issues that are important to Democratic voters. Biden was at an event last week to announce the endorsement of four major environmental groups. In Connecticut, he also hosted an event for gun safety activists. Over the weekend, he praised the support of leading unions by making remarks that focused on the economy.

Biden was shocked by the Supreme Court's 'extreme decision' in the immediate aftermath of the historic Supreme Court ruling.

In remarks made at the White House, he said: 'With Roe gone let's be clear: The life and health of women are now in danger in this country.'

This report was contributed by Arlette Saenz of CNN and DJ Judd.