White House condemns Indiana’s ‘devastating’ abortion ban: ‘Another radical step by Republican legislators’

The White House spoke out against the near-total abortion ban bill voted upon in Indiana this week, slamming Republican legislators for taking “away women’s reproductive rights and freedom” and putting “personal health care decisions in the hands of politicians rather than women and their doctors.”

On Saturday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a press release pushing back on the legislation voted upon in Indiana on Friday. The move made the state the first to pass severely restrictive abortion access legislation in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s June decision to overturn Roe v Wade.

“The Indiana legislature took a devastating step as a result of the Supreme Court’s extreme decision to overturn Roe v Wade and eliminate women’s constitutionally-protected right to abortion. And, it’s another radical step by Republican legislators to take away women’s reproductive rights and freedom, and put personal health care decisions in the hands of politicians rather than women and their doctors,” began Ms Jean-Pierre.

“Yesterday’s vote, which institutes a near-total abortion ban in Indiana, should be a signal to Americans across the country to make their voices heard. Congress should also act immediately to pass a law restoring the protections of Roe – the only way to secure a woman’s right to choose nationally.”

The statement concluded by noting that President Joe Biden is “committed to taking action to protect women’s reproductive rights and freedom, and access to care they are afforded under Federal law”.

The Indiana bill outlaws abortion at all stages of pregnancy though there are exceptions in cases of rape or incest, “lethal fetal anomaly” or to prevent the “permanent impairment of the life or physical health of the pregnant woman.” In the cases of rape or incest, pregnant people can only seek an abortion up to 10 weeks of pregnancy.

There are now at least 10 states who have effectively outlawed abortion after the decades-long precedent of federally protected abortion was overturned. If signed into law, Indiana’s bill is slated to take effect on 15 September.