Executive Order 14076 - Signed on July 8, 2022

Protecting Access to Reproductive Healthcare Services

In response to the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the President directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, to investigate ways to strengthen access to reproductive healthcare and to protect the privacy, safety and security of individuals and healthcare providers. 

The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) is directed to submit, within 30-days from the date of this order, a report identifying 10 potential actions to protect and expand access to abortion care and reproductive healthcare services, 2) ways to increase outreach and education about access to reproductive healthcare services, 3) steps to ensure that all patients receive the full protections for emergency medical care afforded under the law. 

The Attorney General (AG) and the Secretary of Homeland Security will consider actions to ensure the safety and security (including data security) of patients, providers, and third parties, as well as clinics, pharmacies, and other entities providing reproductive healthcare services. In addition, as related to reproductive healthcare services:

• The Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is encouraged to consider actions to protect consumers' privacy.
• The Secretary of HHS is to consider actions to strengthen protection of sensitive information and, in consultation with the AG, consider actions to educate consumers on data privacy.
• The Secretary of HHS, in consultation with the AG and the Chair of the FTC is directed to consider options to address deceptive practices.

The Secretary of HHS and the Director of Gender Policy are to establish and co-chair a task force. HHS will provide funding and administrative support. The task force will identify activities to protect access to reproductive health services and coordinate inter-agency policy-making, program development, and outreach efforts to address barriers impeding access to these services.

Additional task force members will include the AG and heads of other agencies as determined by the co-chairs. The AG will provide guidance to states seeking to afford legal protection to out-of-state patients and healthcare providers.

PRO: With the end of the federal protections of abortion that had been in place since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the President is taking this action to protect healthcare service delivery and promote access to critical reproductive healthcare services, including abortion.

CON: This order does nothing more than form study committees to investigate non-issues, such as the ability for residents of one state to seek abortions in another state, which is not, and has not been challenged.

This is intended to be an open space for public comment, to allow people to share their views of the EO.

I would like it to have an "ARE YOU A ROBOT" check before allowing comments

Future enhancement will provide a link to the full text on the official document