Biden expands access to reproductive care in NC 100 days after Roe v. Wade overturned

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- One hundred days after the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade, President Biden announced a move to expand reproductive healthcare access. The administration announced $340,000 is heading to RTI International in Raleigh.

The funding will be used to conduct research to find the best ways to provide people equitable access to family planning services.

"My lord, we're talking about contraception here. Shouldn't be that controversial," said President Biden. "It's also pushing laws not allowing for rape and incest or the life of the mother. It's really scary that in some states they're already succeeding."

Tara Romano is executive director of Pro-Choice NC, an abortion rights group in the Triangle. She told ABC11 the organization is helping voters raise their voice as midterms near.

"We are helping people understand what's at stake coming up November 8th and how abortion access is up and down the ballot," she said. "We certainly appreciate the support from the White House. We really need people to understand it's really on the ground in the state where we need to be electing lawmakers and holding lawmakers accountable.

Right now abortion is legal prior to 20 weeks of pregnancy in North Carolina, but Romano believes that could change if voters don't elect politicians dedicated to protecting abortion rights.

"We know there's going to be state laws put forth in January restricting abortion access and we want to make sure we have people in our General Assembly who can stop these bills from going into effect," Romano said.

That's why abortion rights advocates said it comes down to the voter. Biden's announcement is an effort to improve access to family planning resources and reduce health disparities as abortion access is a hot topic for both sides of the aisle.

Abortion rights opponent North Carolina Right to Life released the following statement:

North Carolina Right to Life is working towards the day that every human life is respected and valued as a member of the human race. The science shows that human life begins at conception as a unique individual with its own genetic signature. Life then progresses through a variety of stages such as the unborn baby, the infant, the toddler, the adolescent, the adult and the aged. In every abortion a member of the human race is killed.