After Texas passed a new election law to tighten its voting laws last week and the Supreme Court allowed state law to strictly restrict access to abortion, the White House’s response was largely the same in both cases: it is up to Congress to act.
The White House has been firm on some of the most pressing issues for Democrats, as their hands are largely tied. Biden administration officials argue that they have done everything possible to unilaterally protect voting rights and that Congress must now pass legislation that strengthens protections.
Officials sounded a similar note last week about abortion, with President Biden
Joe Biden, Milley, says civil war is “likely” in Afghanistan Parts of southeastern Louisiana could regain power by Sept. 29. It is time to transform our unemployment system MORE promising that his administration would review possible remedies at the federal level. But he and others finally acknowledged that Congress must codify access to abortion for women to fully protect the precedent set by Roe against Wade.
The White House’s approach of finally deferring to Congress has frustrated activists who believe the administration should push for more radical reforms such as ending the filibuster or expanding the Supreme Court. Progressives, in particular, have warned that it is not enough to offer a lip service and that hard-earned profits will quickly fade after next year’s midterm elections.
“We saw very clearly with the infrastructure what it looks like when President Biden and his administration really care about doing something. They go up the hill, they get engaged, they contact, they have meetings, they have phone calls, they put pressure,” Eli said. Zupnick, a former Senate aide and spokesman for the progressive group Fix Our Senate, which supports filibuster reform. .
“That’s why I think it’s a little empty when they say they’re going to take a step back on issues that concern a lot of advocates and people across the country, such as voting rights, like reproductive rights, because we know that the only way What can be done is if the White House commits and applies pressure, “Zupnick added.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon, in a 5-4 ruling, refused to block a Texas law banning abortion six weeks after conception and only makes exceptions for medical emergencies. The law authorizes private citizens to sue those who perform or assist in the procedure. Abortion groups estimated that the law would apply to 90% of cases and most women do not realize they are six weeks pregnant.
In response, Biden directed her Gender Policy Council and White House council to review what options the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services might have to protect Texas women seeking abortions.
But while the administration has pledged to use “all the levers” at its disposal to fight Texas law, the White House press secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiHarris will campaign for Gavin Newsom ahead of withdrawal election Abortion rights groups want Biden to use a bully pulpit after Texas law Biden visits Ida damages in Louisiana: ” We will be here for you “MORE acknowledged Thursday that it is unknown what measures are possible even at the federal level.
“The president has all the hopes, the expectations that the leaders of agencies across the government who have the capacity to look for all the means they can, all the means they can to protect a woman’s right to choose in Texas,” he said. say Psaki at a press conference.
Instead, Biden, Psaki, and Vice President Harris have made it clear that there is a certain remedy to the problem: for Congress to pass a law codifying women’s right to abortion. The House will have to vote on this measure when it returns from recess, but it is unlikely the bill will go through the Senate, where it would have to surpass the 60-vote filibuster.
The abortion debate reminds some activists of the current push to pass federal voting rights legislation, which took on additional urgency for many advocates with the advancement of a Texas vote bill last week past critics say it will make it difficult for many to vote in the state.
In response to the passage of this bill, Harris, who has been tasked with leading the administration’s efforts to protect voting rights, reiterated his call on Congress to “act to protect the rights of the vote of all Americans passing the For the People Act and the John Lewis
John LewisH.R. 4 Leads Congressman John Lewis’ Legacy What May Chaos in Afghanistan Remind Us About the Importance of Protecting Democracy at Home Civil Rights Museum to Honor Michelle Obama, Poor People’s Campaign MORE Law on the Advancement of Voting Rights “.
Biden and other officials have filed similar appeals before, but both legislations face a dead end in the Senate, where each needs 60 votes to beat the filibuster. Although Biden delivered an important speech in July, he stressed the importance of protecting the right to vote and denying Republican Party-led efforts to limit access to the polls, but has stopped supporting calls for ‘some allies for a filibuster size to vote.
Biden has also largely shunned the discussion about the extension or reform of the Supreme Court, which picked up new momentum after the ruling that left restrictions on Texas abortion in place.
Activists argue that Biden’s unwillingness to participate in filibuster reform or Supreme Court reform will cause democratic priorities to run out in Congress.
“If you are not willing to reform the filibuster and expand the court, you are not willing to do whatever it takes to win this fight. If we keep playing beanbag while playing hard ball, the results will be more than that. It’s that simple, ”tweeted Adam Jentelson, a former member of the Senate majority leader Harry Reid
Harry Mason ReidBiden faces twin crises Five takeaways from Biden Chaos Week in Afghanistan The White House tries to protect Biden from GOP attacks on crime problem MORE (D-Nev.).