Women's Rights- Team Biden

In response to what Biden's views are on abortion:

We just heard my opponent say that Biden has been in public office for decades and done nothing. I would like to point out that it was Joe Biden, as chair of the senate judiciary committee, who shepherded Justice Ginsburg’s confirmation resulting in a 96-3 Senate vote. Joe Biden also authored the groundbreaking Violence against Women Act which succeeded in reducing cases of domestic violence, as the rate of domestic violence against women went down 53% from 1993 to 2008. There is no doubt that thousands of women who have benefited from Biden’s efforts. Chloe also spoke about Justice Barrett and referenced a testimony in which Barrett said that as a justice for the court of appeals, she would not repeal Roe V Wade. Now, that’s appropriate, because the final say on a supreme court precedent is not a court of appeals judge, but rather it’s the supreme court. That’s misleading testimony. Chloe then talked about how Justice Barrett has indicated that the case of Brown V Board of Education was the case of super precedent that cannot be revisited- that it’s no longer controversial. But she never said that Roe V Wade is super precedent. This simply suggests that if she is on the supreme court, she will be the decisive vote that will overturn a case that has been so important to women in the United States.

Going back to the question regarding abortion. Joe Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, are pro-choice. It is not true that either one of them supports abortion on demand or even late-term abortion. It is his personal belief that abortion is wrong but understands that he should not impose his religious views on others. For Biden and Harris the crucial question is who decides: the state? or a woman, consulting her doctor and her family? Joe Biden has consistently been a defender of women’s right to choose. A right that, in the case of Roe v Wade, is protected by the constitution. Roe v Wade has been the law of the land for over 40 years, but when abortion was illegal, wealthy women who wanted to have an abortion could fly to countries like Switzerland and find qualified doctors to perform the procedure; but for too many not so lucky women getting an abortion meant back-alley procedures with unqualified doctors and the lack of proper sanitation- too many women were losing their lives during this time. Joe Biden understands that we cannot go backward on this issue. Like the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, like the majority of the American people, Joe Biden believes that Roe v Wade should be upheld, not overturned.

Trump and his supporters talk about the right to life and yet if Trump gets his way, prenatal care may be denied to many pregnant women. Let's return to Justice Barrett- the president didn't just nominate her for her views on abortion- what about the Affordable Care Act? This is something that women care about because pregnancy is a pre-existing condition, if the ACA is repealed by a Supreme Court with Justice Barrett on it women will lose an important election. We need a Biden presidency not only to preserve women's choice but also their health care.

On the question of what Biden will do to advance women’s opportunities in the workplace?

Before we even get to policy, I would like to establish the fact that words matter. Trump, despite his numerous accomplishments which Chloe mentioned earlier, has consistently continued to demean and degrade women and sends out a message that he does not respect women. Presidents have an impact beyond policy. They should be figures that children should aspire to emulate. Well, why do we punish a child for speaking in a derogatory way towards their female peers if we can’t even hold the man running for his second term for the highest position in the land to the same standard? Now, to properly address your question, Jennifer, we must return to RBG's accomplishments- in 2008, the Obama Biden Administration’s first legislation was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, inspired by RBG’s dissent, which promoted fair pay with regards to race, age, and gender. Biden has always understood that we are facing an important issue and has been working to bring us one step closer to equal pay. He plans to do so by investing in women-owned small businesses, expanding access to education and training, and strengthening pay and benefits in careers disproportionately filled by women. Also, Biden will reassemble the White House Council on Women and Girls, originally created by the Obama administration but later disbanded by the Trump administration, which will ensure that the government is tackling the issue of equal pay properly. He also plans to work with advocates to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, which he co-sponsored, to enshrine gender equality in our Constitution. There is no doubt that Biden will continue to carry out RBG’s legacy as both a litigator and a justice, and is the candidate with the best interests of women’s rights in mind.