We have just passed 100 days of the Biden-Harris Administration! Christina Krysinski, Counsel and Senior Manager of Policy at NARAL Pro-Choice America sits down to talk with us about the reproductive health and rights victories achieved during this period, as well as what the administration can do more of to ensure health and rights for all.

 In his second week in office, President Biden ended the Trump administration’s expanded global gag rule (also known as the Mexico City policy), and also began the process of restoring funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in order to restore access to sexual and reproductive health care around the world. The President also withdrew U.S. support for the Trump administration’s anti-choice, anti-LGBTQ Geneva Consensus Declaration, sending the message that the United States will no longer be a barrier to progress for reproductive freedom. Lastly, during the release of the State Department’s 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the U.S. will resume reporting on reproductive rights. 

 Domestically, the Biden administration has also made significant strides in expanding and protecting sexual and reproductive health and rights. This month, the FDA announced that it will stop enforcing a restriction that would force people accessing medication abortion pills to do so in-person at a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office for the duration of the pandemic. The administration proposed the ending of the Trump administration’s “domestic gag rule,” which prevented reproductive health providers that are funded by the nation’s Title X program from providing transparent and equitable care. The White House also officially established the Gender Policy Council, which will work to advance gender equity and sexual and reproductive health and rights. The administration has also appointed officials that are committed to protecting reproductive health and rights both globally and domestically, including the Vice President Kamala Harris, The Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Assistant Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine (the first openly transgender, Senate-confirmed federal official), United States Assistant Attorney General Venita Gupta, nominee for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and USAID Administrator Samantha Power.

 While the Biden administration has accomplished much for reproductive health and rights, there is still so much more that needs to be done. Many organizations and groups continue to call for an increased sense of urgency from the administration. President Biden and other federal officials have yet to say the word “abortion” in a public address; doing so recognizes the reality of the abortion access crisis and contributes to de-stigmatization on a national level. It’s also vital that the budget robustly funds reproductive health programs and ceases denial-of-care policies and funding bans. The administration can continue to fill important positions—including the FDA commissioner, the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, Director for the HHS’ Office of Civil Rights, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs at HHS

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