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Statement

At Last, An Administration Working to Improve the Country’s Health!

January 28, 2021
Maternal Health, Reproductive Justice, Health Care

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of leaders of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the executive orders President Biden signed today to improve access to quality, affordable health care:

“The moms of America are grateful to President Biden for acting quickly and decisively to begin reversing the damage from the previous administration’s unethical, relentless attacks on our health care. Today’s actions by President Biden mean that nearly 9 million people will be eligible for free or subsidized health insurance coverage. That is a stark and welcome contrast to the Trump administration, which pushed comprehensive coverage out of reach for millions during a deadly pandemic and denied women and moms in the United States and worldwide access to the reproductive health care they need.

“The new open enrollment period the Biden administration created, to begin next month, is badly needed at this time when so many people have lost their jobs and with it their health insurance. We welcome the actions to eliminate barriers to Medicaid enrollment, protect coverage for those of us with pre-existing conditions, and improve women’s sexual and reproductive health. There is more work for the Biden administration and Congress to do, but these are the vital first steps in reversing the damage the Trump administration caused and giving moms and families access to the quality, affordable health care we all need and deserve.”

-Statement of Felicia Burnett, National Director, Healthcare, MomsRising

“America’s moms applaud the Biden administration’s move to end the Title X gag rule, which threatened access to birth control for 4 million people and blocked Title X patients, who are disproportionately low-income and women of color, from getting care at Planned Parenthood health centers. We applaud the action to end the cruel and damaging Global Gag Rule, aka the Mexico City Policy, which blocked U.S. aid to international nonprofit organizations that provide abortion referrals, counsel or care. And we applaud the actions to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, which promises to improve the health as well as economic security of moms and families.

“The Trump administration sabotaged our health care, making the country sicker and poorer. We urge the Biden administration to continue working to remove the harmful Trump-era regulations, which especially harm women, moms, Black, Indigenous and other people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with low incomes. We must continue this work until every one of us has access to comprehensive, quality health care.”

-Statement of Tina Sherman, Senior Campaign Director, Maternal Justice, MomsRising

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.