Makeshift Abortion Clinics: White House rejects Warren proposal for now

Created: 06/28/2022, 19:16

By: Johanna Soll

Progressive Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has an idea for helping unintentionally pregnant women.

But the Biden government is stonewalling.

WASHINGTON DC – US President Joe Biden is under pressure to act after the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v.

Wade lifted.

Especially the

Left-wing Democrats are calling for concrete action.

Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts Senator, proposed establishing makeshift abortion clinics on federal territory in states that now have bans on abortion.

Progressive MP Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

from New York City reiterated the demand of her party colleague.

In a CNN interview, Vice President Kamala Harris was asked about the proposal.

At first, she dodged the question, then when asked, said the idea was "not what we're discussing at the moment."

The White House is exploring ways to ensure unintended pregnancies "have access to the medicines they need" and "freedom to travel" as Republican-governed states seek to restrict their residents' ability to have abortions in neighboring states.

Elizabeth Warren's proposal is 'well intentioned' according to White House

Eight states, including Texas and Oklahoma, immediately after the right-wing majority on the Supreme Court Roe v.

Wade had enacted complete bans on abortion.

Other states will soon follow, as pro-choice pro-choices seek to defend themselves with lawsuits and demonstrations over the loss of rights.

Before Kamala Harris' interview aired, Elizabeth Warren suggested that the Biden administration build outposts of Planned Parenthood, a women's health nonprofit, on the borders of national parks.

In the states of Utah, Texas and South Dakota - all in Republican hands - this strategy could be used.

"They could set up tents, deploy trained staff -- and be there to help people who need abortions," Elizabeth Warren told the Washington Post.

"It's time to declare a medical emergency."

Before she was elected Senator in 2012, the 73-year-old was a law professor at Harvard University and pushed former US President Barack Obama to set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which the financial expert Elizabeth Warren then took charge.

Following the interview with Kamala Harris, an unnamed White House official told Insider that "Elizabeth Warren's suggestion about emergency abortion clinics, while well-intentioned, could endanger women and clinicians.

And especially in states where abortion is now illegal," the official added, "women and clinic operators who are not federal employees could potentially face criminal prosecution."

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris don't seem to want to trade

Journalist Li Zhou writes on the left-wing US news portal Vox: "Since federal territory is not subject to state civil laws and there is room for interpretation of criminal law, abortion clinics could theoretically set up in places such as military bases without having to deal with a state's abortion ban Li Zhou also quotes Berkeley law professor Khiara Bridges, an expert on abortion law: "Although the relevant federal territory is within the land borders of a single state, it is not subject to the jurisdiction of the state."

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Senator Elizabeth Warren is a legal expert herself and other legal experts confirm that her proposal is legally feasible, so it stands to reason that Joe Biden would not want to act on this matter, although he could.

During a rally in New York City, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez again called on the Biden administration to "immediately open federal abortion clinics in Republican-governed states."

She described this step - one of several she is urging the government to take - as "the very smallest of all small steps".

(Johanna Soll)