President Joe Biden’s top health official said Tuesday that “every option is on the table” when it comes to helping women access abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
But the gap between outrage over the ruling and the administration’s response appeared as wide as ever. Despite Democrats and activists pushing for swift and sweeping policies, Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra conceded that there’s “no magic bullet” to ensure abortion access.
For now, he’s pledging that “if there is something we can do, we will find it and we will do it at HHS.”
He said the administration would work to ensure that medication abortions remain available, that patient privacy is preserved and family planning care like emergency contraceptives is protected.
Biden has not elaborated on his plans for abortion since the ruling, which he called “ a sad day for the court and the country.” On the next day, he left for a previously scheduled trip to international summits in Europe, and he’s not back until Thursday.
A White House official, who declined to be identified publicly speaking about strategy, said the administration was going to make fighting for abortion a priority.
