Reproductive Rights in the 2024 Presidential Election
A Guide to the 2024 Presidential Candidates’ Views on Reproductive Rights
On June 22, 2022, The United States Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, the case that historically made abortion a constitutional right. Abortion access and reproductive rights have become essential points of contention in the upcoming election.
Reproductive rights is not just about abortion, either. It is the use of birth control or IVF, the funding of family planning organizations, and sex education.
Here is a guide to the two candidates’ past, present and future views on the issue:
Trump, What He Has Done and What He Will Do
In 2019, the Trump Administration issued a gag rule that prohibited Title X organizations that provide abortions and/or refer clients to abortion clinics to receive federal funding. Title X is the only federal program for family planning. Planned Parenthood lost millions in federal funding and issued a statement stating that one year after Trump’s rule, the order reduced their “system’s capacity to provide contraceptive services by at least 46%”.
Trump also appointed three conservative judges to the Supreme Court: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, three of the five justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Trump has gone back-and-forth on his stance on abortion. In a video released on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, Trump said, “My view is, now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land.”
On Wednesday, Trump told reporters he would not implement a national abortion ban if reelected.
Trump also said he will “strongly support the availability of IVF.”
Biden, What He Has Done and What He Will Do
The Biden Administration issued a statement in March, observing the action they have taken regarding reproductive rights.
Protect access to abortion, including FDA-approved medication abortion;
Defend access to emergency medical care;
Support the ability to travel for reproductive health care;
Strengthen access to high-quality, affordable contraception;
Safeguard the privacy of patients and health care providers; and
Ensure access to accurate information and legal resources.
In Biden’s State of the Union address in March, the president said he will, “Guarantee the right to IVF. Guarantee it nationwide.”
Biden is continuing his reversal of Trump’s administration's actions that prompted challenging reproductive laws.