Skip to content
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center for Reproductive Rights

Primary Menu

  • About
    • Overview
    • The Center’s Impact
    • Center Leadership & Staff
    • Annual Reports
    • Corporate Engagement
    • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Work
    • Overview
    • Litigation
    • Legal Policy and Advocacy
    • Resources & Research
    • Recent Case Highlights
    • Landmark Cases
    • Cases Archive
    • World’s Abortion Laws Map
    • After Roe Fell: Abortion Laws by State
  • Issues
    • Overview
    • Abortion
    • Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
    • Assisted Reproduction
    • Contraception
    • Humanitarian Settings
    • Maternal Health
    • COVID-19
  • Regions
    • Overview
    • Global Advocacy
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • Latin America and the Caribbean
    • United States
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Stories
    • Events
    • Center in the Spotlight
    • Press Releases
    • Statements
    • Press Room
    • Newsletters
  • Resources
    • Resources & Research
    • U.S. Abortion Rights: Resources
    • Maps
    • World Abortion Laws Map
    • After Roe Fell: Abortion Laws by State
    • Repro Red Flags: Agency Watch
  • Act
    • Overview
    • Give
    • Act
    • Learn
  • Donate
    • Become a Monthly Donor
    • Make a Donor Advised Fund Gift
    • Leave a Legacy Gift
    • Donate Gifts of Stock
    • Give a Gift in Honor
    • Attend an Event
    • Employee Matching Gifts
    • Mail a Check
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
Donate
icon-hamburger icon-magnifying-glass Donate
icon-magnifying-glass-teal

Biden’s First Year: Top 13 Ways the Administration Improved Reproductive Rights

Center for Reproductive Rights - Center for Reproductive Rights - search logo
search Close Close icon
Center for Reproductive Rights -
Menu Close Menu Close icon
Donate

Primary Menu

  • About
    • Overview
    • The Center’s Impact
    • Center Leadership & Staff
    • Annual Reports
    • Corporate Engagement
    • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Work
    • Overview
    • Litigation
    • Legal Policy and Advocacy
    • Resources & Research
    • Recent Case Highlights
    • Landmark Cases
    • Cases Archive
    • World’s Abortion Laws Map
    • After Roe Fell: Abortion Laws by State
  • Issues
    • Overview
    • Abortion
    • Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
    • Assisted Reproduction
    • Contraception
    • Humanitarian Settings
    • Maternal Health
    • COVID-19
  • Regions
    • Overview
    • Global Advocacy
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • Latin America and the Caribbean
    • United States
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Stories
    • Events
    • Center in the Spotlight
    • Press Releases
    • Statements
    • Press Room
    • Newsletters
  • Resources
    • Resources & Research
    • U.S. Abortion Rights: Resources
    • Maps
    • World Abortion Laws Map
    • After Roe Fell: Abortion Laws by State
    • Repro Red Flags: Agency Watch
  • Act
    • Overview
    • Give
    • Act
    • Learn
  • Donate
    • Become a Monthly Donor
    • Make a Donor Advised Fund Gift
    • Leave a Legacy Gift
    • Donate Gifts of Stock
    • Give a Gift in Honor
    • Attend an Event
    • Employee Matching Gifts
    • Mail a Check
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Related Content

Issues:

Abortion, Contraception, Funding for Reproductive Healthcare, Global Gag Rule, Maternal Health, SRHR General

Regions:

United States

Work:

Engaging Policymakers, U.S. Administrative Advocacy

Type:

News, Story

Follow the Center

Donate Now

Join Now

02.23.2022

U.S. Administrative Advocacy SRHR General United States Story

Biden’s First Year: Top 13 Ways the Administration Improved Reproductive Rights

Megan Diamondstein
Administration's actions are crucial as Supreme Court considers the future of U.S. abortion rights.

Share

  • facebook
  • Twitter
  • linkedin
  • Email id
Photo courtesy of the White House of the United States

Over a year has passed since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office, ushering in a new era of support for reproductive rights by a presidential administration. Though more work remains to be done, the Biden administration has taken a number of decisive steps in its first year to undo the harms of the Trump administration’s regressive policies and advance reproductive health access and equity in the United States and abroad.

The administration’s actions are ever more crucial since abortion rights in the U.S. are more at risk than ever, with the U.S. Supreme Court considering overturning Roe v. Wade and almost 50 years of precedent recognizing the constitutional right to abortion.   

The Center for Reproductive Rights has engaged with the administration and federal agencies by making policy recommendations, commenting on pending rulemakings, and providing technical expertise on policies and programs related to reproductive rights and health. Since inauguration in January 2021, the administration has acted to improve maternal health, access to abortion, gender equality, funding for family planning services, and much more.

“We’re heartened by the Biden-Harris Administration’s progress on reproductive rights, sexual health, and gender equity and equality in its first year,” said Katherine Gillespie, Acting Director, Federal Policy and Advocacy. “We are currently facing the most hostile abortion landscape in the U.S. in decades, so we call on the administration to take even further strong and decisive actions.”

Improving Reproductive Health and Rights: The Administration’s Top 13 Actions

In the past year, President Biden and his administration have:

  1. 1. Championed critical legislation to advance reproductive healthcare.

The White House issued a statement in support of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA)—which would protect the right to access abortion care nationwide—on September 20, 2021, before the successful House vote on this critical abortion access bill. On November 30, 2021, President Biden also signed into law the Protecting Moms Who Served Act—requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to improve maternity care—the first of 12 bills in the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act to be enacted.

  1. 2. Defended abortion rights in court.

In response to the passage of Texas S.B. 8, a law that has eliminated the vast majority of abortion access in the state, the Department of Justice filed the first-ever lawsuit by the federal government challenging the constitutionality of a state abortion restriction. In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, challenging Mississippi’s 15-week ban on abortion, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar submitted an amicus brief and participated in oral arguments on behalf of the United States and in support of the clinic.

WHPA would protect abortion access nationwide.

Women's Health Protection ActWomen’s Health Protection Act link

Women’s Health Protection Act

Take action to help protect the right to access abortion care in every state.

  1. 3. Took administrative action to protect sexual and reproductive health access in light of attacks on abortion rights.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, a longtime champion of sexual and reproductive health, also took action to protect the rights of abortion providers and patients seeking abortion. The Secretary:

  • Launched an Intra-Agency Task Force on Reproductive Health Access: On the 49th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Secretary Becerra announced the creation of an HHS-wide task force to protect and bolster sexual and reproductive health care access. As part of this initiative, each HHS division must draft a plan outlining actions it will take to advance reproductive health access, including expanding relevant research and data collection, identifying and eliminating Federal policy barriers, and reducing the stigmatization of reproductive health care as distinct from other primary care services.
  • Affirmed the Church Amendment’s protections from discrimination for abortion providers: The Office of Civil Rights released guidance affirming that the Church Amendment prohibits discrimination related to employment or staff privileges against health care providers based on their participation in abortion or sterilization.
  • Issued Guidance to Providers on HHS’s Enforcement of Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA): The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a memorandum to health care providers reinforcing the long-standing legal requirements under EMTALA to provide “stabilizing medical treatment” to pregnant patients or patients experiencing pregnancy loss who present at emergency departments with an emergency medical condition.

  1. 4. Supported policies to end racial disparities in maternal health care.

In addition to signing the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, President Biden issued the first-ever proclamation on Black Maternal Health Week in April 2021 and highlighted his initial actions to address the health disparities faced by Black mothers and parents, including the approval of the first state Medicaid Waiver to expand postpartum Medicaid access to one year. On December 7, 2021, Vice President Harris announced a Call to Action to Reduce Maternal Mortality and Morbidity, which highlighted the maternal health provisions and investments in the Build Back Better Act and a proposal by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to create a “birthing friendly” hospital designation. The Call to Action also promoted new guidance from CMS to state Medicaid agencies encouraging them to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage through the American Rescue Plan.

  1. 5. Established the White House Gender Policy Council.

On March 8, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order establishing the first-ever Gender Policy Council to advance gender equity and equality. With input from the Center and other stakeholders, the newly-created Council developed the first-ever National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, which includes significant commitments to expanding sexual and reproductive health care and addressing persistent inequities, bias, and systemic racism in health care.

  1. 6. Repealed the Domestic Gag Rule and expanded access to Title X funds.

A new rule, which took effect November 8, 2021, governing the Title X family planning program, made steps to advance health equity and repealed burdensome restrictions enacted under the prior administration on Title X funding that required health care providers to physically segregate abortion services from family planning services. HHS Secretary Becerra also announced Title X grants to providers in light of the increased need for family planning services. Thus far, the agency has awarded $7.35 million in supplementary grants to Title X providers in states across the country.

  1. 7. Rescinded the Global Gag Rule and restored funding to the UN Population Fund.

On January 28, 2021, President Biden revoked the Trump administration’s 2017 Memorandum on the Mexico City policy, which banned federal funding to international healthcare providers that provide counsel or advocate for abortion access, even when they use a separate funding source to do so. Biden also directed the Secretary of State to restore funding of the UN Population Fund, the lead U.N. agency on sexual and reproductive health.

  1. 8. Recommitted to and restored funding for the World Health Organization (WHO).

On his first day in office, President Biden informed the UN Secretary General that the United States would remain a member of the World Health Organization (WHO), which coordinates high-impact research and sets global standards on sexual and reproductive health and rights, reversing the Trump administration’s planned withdrawal from this important body.

  1. 9. Recommitted to reporting on reproductive rights abroad.

Under the leadership of Secretary Antony Blinken, the State Department has returned to its previous pre-Trump-era practice of reporting on sexual health and reproductive health issues in its Annual Country Reports on Human Rights.

  1. 10. Removed Hyde from the 2022 President’s Budget.

On May 28, 2021, President Biden became the first president in decades to submit a budget to Congress without the Hyde Amendment, which prevents the use of federal funding for abortion services.

  1. 11. Appointed and nominated highly qualified officials committed to advancing reproductive rights, equity, and equal justice under the law.

Appointments included Xavier Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Admiral Rachel Levine as Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure as Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Kristen Clarke as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the Department of Justice, Vanita Gupta as Associate Attorney General, and many others.

  1. 12. Rescinded and replaced harmful Trump-era regulations.  
  • The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs took a substantial step towards protecting employees by proposing the repeal of an expanded religious exemption that would likely have permitted a broader segment of federal contractors to discriminate against employees on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and reproductive health choices.
  • The administration improved access to abortion care by repealing a harmful separate billing requirement for abortion care by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which created another unnecessary regulatory barrier to abortion services for patients.
  • HHS has proposed the repeal of the SUNSET Rule, a Trump-era deregulatory scheme which would have permitted critical regulations to expire unless a burdensome review process was conducted.
  1. 13. Expanded science-backed health care access.

On April 12, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock temporarily lifted the in-person dispensing restriction on mifepristone to improve access to medication abortion during the pandemic. The FDA made this change permanent on December 16, when it modified the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for mifepristone to allow certified prescribers and pharmacies to offer the medication via mail. This policy change will expand safe medication access for many, including Black, Indigenous and People of Color, those working to make ends meet, members of the LGBTQI+ community, immigrants, people with disabilities, young people, and those living in rural communities.

Read more about the Center’s work.

U.S. Federal Administrative Advocacy U.S. Federal Administrative Advocacy link

U.S. Federal Administrative Advocacy

With the Hostile Abortion Environment in the U.S., More Action Is Needed

With abortion rights at risk in the United States—both by states introducing hundreds of ever-more-severe abortion restrictions as well as the U.S. Supreme Court’s willingness to reconsider Roe—more action is needed by the administration to protect reproductive health and rights.

The Center calls on the Biden-Harris administration to:

  1. 1. Continue championing critical legislation advancing access to reproductive health care.

Although the Women’s Health Protection Act has passed the House, the Senate has yet to vote on the bill. President Biden must urge the Senate to pass WHPA and the Equal Access to Abortion Care in Health Insurance Act (EACH Act) to protect abortion access, and support the passage of the remaining bills in the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act.

  1. 2. Remove all federal budget funding restrictions on abortion.

While the 2022 President’s Budget did not include the Hyde Amendment, other serious funding restrictions on abortion care remain, including similar Hyde-like bans on federal funding of health insurance for federal employees and Peace Corps members. Of particular concern, Biden’s 2022 budget included the Helms Amendment, which restricts the use of foreign assistance to fund abortion “as a method of family planning,” and the Weldon Amendment, a refusal of care provision which allows health care entities to prioritize personal beliefs over a patient’s need for abortion services. The President should remove these funding restrictions in his 2023 budget proposal.

  1. 3. Issue regulations that expand access to reproductive and sexual health care and prevent health care discrimination.

In addition to continuing the repeal of harmful regulations, such as the existing Denial of Care Rule, the Biden administration must draft new rules that expansively interpret the nondiscrimination provisions of the Affordable Care Act and prevent employers and universities from denying contraceptive coverage to employees and students.

  1. 4. Activate across the administration to address the abortion access crisis.

The Biden-Harris administration must work tirelessly to protect abortion access in the face of ever-increasing threats, building on the work of Vice President Harris, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra and his staff, and the White House Gender Policy Council.

The Center for Reproductive Rights looks forward to continuing to engage with and provide support to the Administration to advance reproductive rights for people in the United States and around the world.

Tags: president biden, Biden-Harris administration, Biden administration, Administrative Advocacy, Administration actions

Related Posts

Black Maternal Health Week is April 11-17

As the U.S. faces a maternal health crisis, with Black women three times more likely to die than white women...

Maternal Health, Access to Quality Care, Maternal Mortality,United States,Engaging Policymakers, In Washington D.C., U.S. Administrative Advocacy, U.S. Congressional Advocacy
Black Maternal Health Week is April 11-17

Biden Administration to Rescind Trump-era “Domestic Gag Rule”

The Biden Administration on Wednesday issued a proposed rule to undo a harmful Trump-era policy, known as the “domestic gag...

Funding for Reproductive Healthcare, HIV/AIDS,United States,Engaging Policymakers, U.S. Administrative Advocacy
Biden Administration to Rescind Trump-era “Domestic Gag Rule”

Add Your Voice to End the Trump-era “Domestic Gag Rule” by May 17

Monday, May 17, is the final day for the public to submit comments to the U.S. Department of Health and...

Funding for Reproductive Healthcare,United States,Engaging Policymakers, U.S. Administrative Advocacy
Add Your Voice to End the Trump-era “Domestic Gag Rule” by May 17

Sign up for email updates.

The most up-to-date news on reproductive rights, delivered straight to you.

Footer Menu

  • Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Gift Acceptance Policy
  • Contact Us

Center for Reproductive Rights
© (1992-2024)

Use of this site signifies agreement with our disclaimer and privacy policy.

Better Business Bureau Charity Watch Top Rated Center for Reproductive Rights
This site uses necessary, analytics and social media cookies to improve your experience and deliver targeted advertising. Click "Options" or click here to learn more and customize your cookie settings, otherwise please click "Accept" to proceed.
OPTIONSACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
CookieDurationDescription
_ga2 yearsThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gat_UA-6619340-11 minuteNo description
_gid1 dayThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
_parsely_session30 minutesThis cookie is used to track the behavior of a user within the current session.
HotJar: _hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress30 minutesNo description
HotJar: _hjFirstSeen30 minutesNo description
HotJar: _hjid1 yearThis cookie is set by Hotjar. This cookie is set when the customer first lands on a page with the Hotjar script. It is used to persist the random user ID, unique to that site on the browser. This ensures that behavior in subsequent visits to the same site will be attributed to the same user ID.
HotJar: _hjIncludedInPageviewSample2 minutesNo description
HotJar: _hjIncludedInSessionSample2 minutesNo description
HotJar: _hjTLDTestsessionNo description
SSCVER1 year 24 daysThe domain of this cookie is owned by Nielsen. The cookie is used for online advertising by creating user profile based on their preferences.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
CookieDurationDescription
_fbp3 monthsThis cookie is set by Facebook to deliver advertisement when they are on Facebook or a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising after visiting this website.
fr3 monthsThe cookie is set by Facebook to show relevant advertisments to the users and measure and improve the advertisements. The cookie also tracks the behavior of the user across the web on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin.
IDE1 year 24 daysUsed by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
IMRID1 year 24 daysThe domain of this cookie is owned by Nielsen. The cookie is used for storing the start and end of the user session for nielsen statistics. It helps in consumer profiling for online advertising.
personalization_id2 yearsThis cookie is set by twitter.com. It is used integrate the sharing features of this social media. It also stores information about how the user uses the website for tracking and targeting.
TDID1 yearThe cookie is set by CloudFare service to store a unique ID to identify a returning users device which then is used for targeted advertising.
test_cookie15 minutesThis cookie is set by doubleclick.net. The purpose of the cookie is to determine if the user's browser supports cookies.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
CookieDurationDescription
adEdition1 dayNo description
akaas_MSNBC10 daysNo description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional1 yearThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others1 yearNo description
geoEdition1 dayNo description
next-i18next1 yearNo description
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo
Scroll Up