With Democrats having held back a "red wave" and secured control of at least one chamber of Congress, President Biden believes that Congress should move to codify Roe v. Wade," White House senior adviser Anita Dunn told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.
Driving the news: The first major election of the post-Roe era yielded new protections for abortion rights in several states, Axios' Oriana Gonzalez writes.
- Exit polls showed voters naming abortion as one of the top issues motivating them to vote, Reuters reported.
- Some anti-abortion organizations have criticized Republican candidates who distanced themselves from abortion bans and didn't explicitly state their anti-abortion stances.
What they're saying: "The President has been very clear. He believes Congress needs to codify Roe versus Wade, so that it is the national law of the land and we do not have states that have, in effect, prohibited abortion totally," Dunn said when asked by host Margaret Brennan what Biden could do if Republicans claim control of the House and if there is any room to compromise on restrictions with Republicans who are open to securing abortion access.
- Biden will "continue to work" to ensure women can travel for abortion access, that they can receive the reproductive health care they need, and that women with other medical issues are not denied medical care, Dunn added.
- Biden has maintained since Roe v. Wade was overturned that it is a political issue that voters would need to "make their voices heard" on, Dunn said, noting that "there's a huge amount of evidence that's exactly what happened."
- "So the real question is whether the Republicans will listen to those voices."
