Black congresswomen urge Biden to declare public health and national emergency around abortion : politics

Devastating news requires unprecedented response to protect pregnant women, especially Black women who will be profoundly and disproportionately impacted:

“A group of 20 Black congresswomen wrote a public letter Friday to President Joe Biden , insisting he protect access to abortion by “declaring a public health and national emergency,” amid the expected overturn of the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.”

“The coalition, led by Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus’ Abortion Rights and Access Task Force, are all Democratic members in the House of Representative and members of the Congressional Black Caucus.”

The lawmakers urge Biden “to use any and all executive authorities to address the public health crisis our nation will face if Roe v. Wade is dismantled.”

If the Supreme Court overturns the landmark decision, the congresswomen stress, it “will obliterate legal abortion rights across the nation and exacerbate multiple public health crises disproportionately impacting Black communities.”

“A lack of access to abortion will have a more devastating impact on Black women, the lawmakers told Biden.”

“These unprecedented and calculated attacks on our bodily autonomy are a direct affront to the lives and freedom of Black women,” the lawmakers wrote.