Keeping Score: Reproductive Health Care On the Line; AP Employees Speak Out on Wilder Firing; Antisemitic Violence on the Rise

This week in Keeping Score: advocates defend accessible contraception and abortion; Supreme Court case challenges Roe v. Wade; House passes Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA); Samoa swears in first woman prime minister; Texas resumes executions; women face continually high unemployment rates; 20 companies produce over half the world’s plastic waste; and more!

The American Rescue Plan Act Reveals the Importance of Investing in Reproductive Health Care

Last month, Congress passed President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. On top of direct stimulus checks, the Plan also includes funding for schools and childcare, increased child tax credits and rental assistance. But another—frequently overlooked—priority of this bill is expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care across the country.

Telemedicine Abortion Health Care Now an Option in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, Maine Family Planning is offering telemedicine abortion, operating under a research exception to the FDA restriction.

“The pandemic has really amplified all of the hurdles for folks getting abortions. Telemedicine can help eliminate some of those challenges, allowing people to get care at home. Telemedicine has really helped to make sure that people can access the services that they want.”

Protecting the ACA is Only a Starting Point for Women’s Health Care

On Thursday, President Biden signed an executive order to reopen enrollment on the Affordable Care Act’s HealthCare.gov, the federal health insurance marketplace, from February 15 to May 15.

But while this is a welcome first step to help uninsured Americans get coverage, now is the time to make progress and go further in women’s access to health care—not just to hold on to the last decade’s achievements.