Top Biden aide: Administration will find ways to protect constitutional rights of women in Texas

White House chief of staff Ron Klain listens to President Biden during a meeting in the State Dining Room
Getty Images

White House chief of staff Ron Klain said on Sunday that the Biden administration is going to find ways to protect the constitutional rights of women in Texas after the Supreme Court declined to block an abortion law that went into effect in the state last week.

“We are going to find ways if they’re at all possible – and I think they are possible – we’re going to find ways to make a difference for the women of Texas, to try to protect their constitutional rights,” Klain told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.”

Klain noted that the Justice Department has lawyers looking for “legal remedies to protect women who are seeking to exercise their constitutional rights.”

He also said that a team at the Department of Health and Human Services is working to coordinate ways to help women get the health care services they needed.

The Texas law, which signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in May, prohibits women from getting an abortion once a feat heartbeat has been detected, which can be as early as six weeks after they become pregnant. 

The law also awards private citizens with $10,000 each time they are able to successfully sue someone who is found guilty of being involved or helping aid an abortion procedure.

Abortion opponents worry that the law will encourage a number of “copy-cat” laws in other states.

A number of female lawmakers have signaled that they are against the decision, which they worry will block women’s access to necessary health care procedures. 

“If you ever questioned where these five Justices would be, now you know.  We must put Roe into law now. There is no time to lose,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) tweeted last week.

Tags Amy Klobuchar Dana Bash Ron Klain Ron Klain Sunday shows Texas Texas abortion law

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Most Popular

Load more