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Health and Human Services Sec. Xavier Becerra revealed that the federal government is exploring a range of options to help afford abortion, including possible access across state lines for women traveling out of state to seek the procedure.
“We’re exploring the possibility of working with others to make sure that if a woman is trying to access the care she needs, it’s going to be supportive of that,” Becerra said during an appearance on Meet with the Press” on NBC on Sunday. “There are many partners, public and private, looking at this. We are one of those partners.”
On June 24, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively ending recognition of the constitutional right to abortion and giving individual states the power to permit, limit or outlaw the practice.
Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), during the America’s CEO Summit hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The decision in Dobbs v. The Jackson Women’s Health Organization sent shockwaves across the country, sparking immediate protests before the Supreme Court and drawing both praise and condemnation.
Democrats immediately discussed a range of options to try to protect abortion rights, with President Biden proposing the idea of codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law.
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., suggested the government instead try to protect abortion rights by building abortion clinics on federal land, expanding protections selectively.
Becerra indicated that her idea could prove “difficult.”
Protesters against abortion rights gather outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Friday, June 24, 2022. The Supreme Court ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place for nearly 50 years, a decision by its conservative majority to overturn landmark court cases for abortions. ((AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana))
“I think we’re continuing to explore everything that’s out there,” Becerra explained. “The difficulty is that just because it’s an idea doesn’t mean it can be put into practice.
“So what we want to make sure is that we can put things into practice because you have people who are right now in need of abortion services,” he added.
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Becerra discussed the option of federal protections for access to abortion pills, noting that federal drug protections should allow the government more flexibility in that regard.
Map of states that have laws “triggered” by the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
“We want to make sure that the medical abortion that is currently available in America continues to be available to those who need it most,” he said.
“We will continue to protect those federally required aspects of medical abortion and do what we can where possible, such as with emergency care, to make sure women have access to the services they need.”
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Becerra stressed that he still believes the legal possibility of restoring Roe v. Wade is possible, insisting that the ruling will not “last long.”
Fox News’ Ron Blitzer and Kelly Lacko contributed to this report.
Peter Aitken is a Fox News Digital reporter with a focus on national and global news.
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