The Biden administration is mulling setting up abortion clinics on federal land in states that ban abortion, according to an administration official.
“Every option is on the table,” Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra said Tuesday in reference to the possibility of allowing abortions on federal lands. “We certainly would have a conversation with the president to make sure we implement his directives to us in trying to protect women’s reproductive healthcare services.”
Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren originally suggested that the administration to use national parks to house abortion clinics, while Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also came up with a plan to allow abortion on federal lands.
”The federal government needs to be exploring what they can do to make federal lands available to help ensure access to abortion,” Warren told constituents on Monday.
“We have made no decisions yet,” Becerra said about the possible plan. “What I can tell you is that we are aware of a number of ideas and proposals, many of which we have been considering internally ourselves.”
Becerra’s remarks contradict those of Vice President Kamala Harris, who said Monday that the administration was not discussing abortion on federal property.
“It’s not right now what we are discussing,” Harris told CNN.
Abortion rights activists protest in Denver, Colorado on June 27, 2022, four days after the overturning of Roe Vs. Wade by the US Supreme Court.Abortion rights activists protest in front of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver, Colorado on June 27, 2022, four days after the US Supreme Court striked down the right to abortion. (Photo by Jason Connolly / AFP) (Photo by JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty Images)
The administration also shut down the proposal on Tuesday with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre warning that Warren’s plan could lead to “dangerous ramifications.”
“In states where abortion is now illegal, women and providers who are not federal employees, as you look at the federal lands, could be potentially be prosecuted,” she explained to reporters.
Becerra pledged to use HHS authority to preserve access to the abortion medications like misoprostol and mifepristone.
“Medication abortion has been approved by the FDA for years and is safe for patients,” Becerra stated. “Working to increase access to this drug is a national imperative and in the public interest,” he continued.
Federal law requires government health programs to offer these medications to induce an abortion in certain instances, such as when the pregnancy is induced by incest or rape, or when the life of the mother is put at risk by the pregnancy.
The White House and HHS did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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