White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday dismissed Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s idea of putting abortion clinics on national parks.
Warren, during a Monday interview with The Washington Post, suggested the Biden administration develop Planned Parenthood “tents” along the edges of national parks. The suggestion came in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling to strike down Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that had deemed abortion is protected under the U.S. Constitution.
“We understand the proposal is well intentioned but here’s the thing, it could actually put women and providers at risk … And importantly 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 prosecuted … there’s actually dangerous ramifications to doing this,” Jean-Pierre said in response to Warren’s suggestion.
Jean-Pierre’s dismissal came shortly after Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the suggestion. Harris, pressed by CNN’s Dana Bash during an interview that aired Monday evening, noted that the administration isn’t discussing that option “right now.”
“I mean, it’s not right now what we are discussing,” Harris said. “But I will say that, when I think about what is happening in terms of the states, we have to also recognize, Dana, that we are 130-odd days away from an election, which is going to include Senate races, right? Part of the issue here is that the court has acted. Now Congress needs to act. But we, if you count the votes, don’t appear to have the votes in the Senate.”
Specifically, Warren had called on the administration “to declare a medical emergency” and said they “could put up tents” and “have trained personnel” at the parks, according to The Post’s Caroline Kitchener. (RELATED: Biden Decries Supreme Court’s Decision Overturning Roe V. Wade, Calls For Voters To Turn Out For The Midterms)
I just spoke with @ewarren, who suggested the Biden administration establish Planned Parenthood outposts on the edges of national parks.
“They could put up tents, have trained personnel — and be there to help people who need it.”
“It’s time to declare a medical emergency.”
— Caroline Kitchener (@CAKitchener) June 27, 2022
“And importantly 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 prosecuted… there’s actually dangerous ramifications to doing this.”
— Caroline Kitchener (@CAKitchener) June 28, 2022
Warren also called on the Biden administration to use federal lands to aid those seeking abortions on Sunday during an interview with ABC News.
“Now, we’ve got a lot of things on our agenda right now,” Warren said during that interview. “First of all, we need to help the women who are pregnant right now and need help. And that means sending resources to the states like New Mexico, you know, that border other states that are going to try to help out.”
“It means getting involved by volunteering, by sending money. It also means asking the president of the United States to make abortion as available as possible with the tools he has, including medication abortion, including using federal lands as a place where abortions can occur,” she added.
Warren also lobbied the Biden administration to use “federal property and resources to increase access to abortion” in a letter co-written by Democratic Washington Sen. Patty Murphy and signed by over 20 other senators on June 7.
