Biden, Jill and Kamala go to battle for abortion rights to mark one-year of Dobbs

The White House is planning a series of high-profile events around the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision, which is when the Supreme Court ruled to overturn the landmark abortion rights case Roe vs. Wade.

On Friday President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will join several Democratic abortion rights groups for a special event ahead of Saturday’s anniversary.

For the anniversary itself, Harris will travel to North Carolina to make a major speech on the abortion rights issue as she and Biden run for a second term in the White House.

Kicking things off will be first lady Jill Bide, who, on Tuesday, will hold a conversation with women impacted by the Dobbs decision.

President Joe and Jill Biden will host events related to the one-year annivesary of the Dobbs decision

The decision by the Supreme Court on June 24, 2022, returned to individual states the power to regulate any aspect of abortion not protected by federal law.

In the aftermath, Democrats used the issue to rally their base ahead of the 2022 midterm election. The party’s ability to keep the Senate and Republicans’ small gain in the House was attributed to voter anger over the Dobbs decision.

Fourteen states currently have bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy, one when cardiac activity can be detected around six weeks, and three at 12 to 15 weeks, according to a tally by the Associated Press.

Of those 17 states with the tightest restrictions, 12 do not have exceptions in cases of rape or incest. They all have exceptions to save the life of the woman in at least some circumstances.

At least six states have bans that courts have paused.

One more state, North Carolina, has a ban after 12 weeks of pregnancy that doesn’t take effect until July 1.

The abortion bans also apply to prescribing pills to induce abortions. 

The series of events planned around the anniversary show that Biden and his campaign are using the issue to rally their voting base ahead of the presidential election.

On Friday, President Biden, Jill Biden, Vice President Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will join EMILYs List, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund to mark the one-year anniversary. 

Vice President Kamala Harris will make a major speech on abortion rights on Saturday in North Carolina

Additionally, on Capitol Hill, Democrats plan to push a series of bills that will work to codify abortion rights.

In the Senate, Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington will introduce bills that will codify the right to contraception, allow women to travel across state lines to get an abortion, legally shield doctors who perform abortions for out-of-state patients and safeguard data privacy.

Each bill faces almost certain failure but Democrats will use the issue to push their message of support for abortion rights. And Republicans will have to voice their objection in order to stop each piece of legislation.

In the House, Democrats will use a legislative maneuver called a discharge petition to try and force a vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would codify the right to an abortion.

Republicans control the lower chamber, meaning the move will fail.