2 years ago
President Joe Biden on Tuesday will promise that the first bill he’ll send to the next Congress will be legislation to reinstate the abortion protections of Roe v. Wade, according to a Democratic official previewing the president’s remarks.
In a speech at a Democratic National Committee event in Washington, Biden will also pledge to sign that bill into law around the anniversary of the original Roe ruling in late January.
Biden’s plans are contingent on Democrats holding the House and increasing their majority in the Senate, a factor acknowledged by the official previewing the remarks. As such, it is a vow that appears aimed at energizing Democrats to turn out in force in the upcoming midterm elections where the party is struggling to keep its slim majorities, as polls show early outrage over the fall of Roe v. Wade this June has been outstripped by economic concerns.
Biden has increasingly escalated his attacks on Republicans over abortion rights since the high court’s ruling this summer overturning Roe. He’s repeatedly predicted that there will be a massive surge of voter activity in the midterms pushing back against the decision — particularly from women voters. Biden also has argued that abortion will be just the start of GOP attempts to dial back rights, warning that protections for contraception and same-sex marriage could be next.
“Republicans don’t have a clue about the power of women,” he told a gathering of Democrats recently. “Let me tell you something: They’re about to find out.”
More than a dozen states have passed near-total bans on abortion — though some have been blocked by courts — and more are aiming to soon do so when their legislatures reconvene in January. In today’s speech, Biden is set to warn Americans that Republicans want a national ban that would criminalize doctors for performing abortions.
While backlash to the abortion ruling has led to big Democratic wins in special elections and a burst of women registering to vote, Democrats fear they may be losing momentum with midterm voters and that they’ll be unable to counter the headwinds caused by high inflation.
Biden’s remarks at the Howard Theatre underscore the tight rope he has been walking during the midterm cycle. He has used the bully pulpit to try and drive the campaign narrative, but done so mostly while avoiding hitting the stump for candidates in tight races.
He recently returned to D.C. from a swing out West, where he campaigned for Democrats in deep blue Los Angeles and Oregon, but stayed out of battleground contests in Arizona and Nevada. His upcoming campaign trips are on behalf of Democratic Senate nominee John Fetterman, the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania and Charlie Crist — who has an uphill challenge to Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
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