A step in the right direction for reproductive rights in the United States was taken Wednesday: the Biden Administration announced plans to remove the Hyde Amendment restrictions from government spending bills. The announcement follows remarks by Vice President Kamala Harris at the 2021 Generational Equality Forum in Paris, where she reiterated the administration's commitment to gender equality and equity. Wednesday's announcement reinforces the administration's commitment to making health care more accessible, after President Biden's budget proposal last month made clear that the policy would be dropped.

The announcement had been expected for some time: during the campaign, President Biden had pledged to repeal the controversial policy; the Hyde Amendment, enacted in 1976, prohibits federal It prohibits the use of funds. This means that many pregnant people, especially those on Medicaid, which provides insurance (open in new tab) for one in five women of reproductive age (open in new tab), will have limited or no reasonable access to care: those who are Medicaid-paid About one-quarter of women who would have received a covered abortion are instead giving birth when this funding is not available. (Opens in new tab) We know that the Hyde Amendment exacerbates racial disparities (opens in new tab) and disproportionately impacts access to care for women of color. (Opens in new tab)

While many Republican leaders are expected to fight this concept in budget negotiations, (Opens in new tab) the removal of Hyde is an important step forward in protecting the reproductive rights of the American people and making access to abortion more equitable.

These are not the only action-oriented commitments the administration announced at the Generation Equality Forum. Read some of the commitments below and watch Vice President Harris' remarks. (opens in new tab)

"The Administration will develop and launch in 2022 the first U.S. national action plan on gender-based violence, led by the White House Gender Policy Council. The plan will establish a whole-of-government approach to preventing and addressing gender-based violence (GBV) at home and abroad, with significant input from civil society.

"The Administration will provide $450 million in additional funding through the President's American Rescue Plan (open in new tab) for domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and response. This includes $200 million for domestic violence services and support, $198 million for sexual assault services and programs, and $350 million for services and access to safety for survivors in historically marginalized communities, with a primary focus on racial and ethnic minority communities. Includes $49.5 million for a new program to fund culturally-specific community-based organizations to improve

"The Administration will strengthen the U.S. National Action Plan on Human Trafficking to integrate the Administration's commitment to gender and racial equality."

"The Administration will strengthen the U.S. National Action Plan on Human Trafficking to integrate the Administration's commitment to gender and racial equality."

"The Administration will, as part of the American Families Plan (open in new tab), establish a comprehensive paid family and medical leave program, Safe Vacation, is proposed."

"The Administration will allow workers to qualify for paid leave for reasons related to sexual assault, stalking, dating or domestic violence.

"The Administration, through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), will provide immediate relief to women and families and help struggling households recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic...The ARP will expand the child tax credit so that more families can benefit and increase the amount of benefits and distribute benefits on a monthly basis. It also includes a historic investment of more than $40 billion in child care and early learning. States, tribes, and territories can use these investments to help child care providers, which are overwhelmingly women of color, avoid potential closures and operate safely, and to improve pay and benefits for child care workers, who are also overwhelmingly women of color. These funds can also be used to ensure that parents have access to quality child care.

"As part of the American Jobs Plan, the Administration will make major investments in long-term care infrastructure, including a $400 billion investment in expanding access to home and community-based care, expanding access to long-term care services under Medicaid, and additional investments to modernize schools and child care facilities. We propose to do so."

"The Administration will ensure that more women and all people, including people of color, have access to in-demand jobs through the American Jobs Plan (opens in new tab), including investing in apprenticeships and other workforce development programs such as the 'Women's Apprenticeship in Non-Traditional Occupations' Strengthening the workforce pipeline to ensure access to This commitment includes ensuring fair and equal pay, safe and healthy workplaces, and workplaces free of racial, gender, and other discrimination and harassment"

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"The Administration will promote women's entrepreneurship around the world through grants to grassroots and community-driven organizations through the Inter-American Foundation and to gender-inclusive digital services for women-owned businesses through the U.S.-Africa Development Foundation."