These Dems want Biden to do more than just "restore Roe"

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     February 2, 2024 Time for a Friday pop quiz: Do you know the difference [between]( reproductive rights and reproductive justice? Reproductive rights is what Joe Biden has lately been making a renewed effort to campaign on ahead of the November election: ensuring legal access to abortion and contraception. Reproductive justice takes a broader view: A social justice–oriented framework formulated by Black women activists in the 1990s, reproductive justice [focuses]( on "the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities." Some critics have [argued]( that Biden's focus on "restoring Roe" is too narrow, failing to take into account the wider array of issues facing pregnant people—including [criminalization]( of self-managed abortions, miscarriages, or other pregnancy outcomes. And now, it seems that more than 150 congressional Democrats agree. Yesterday, that large group of lawmakers sent Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra a letter with some demands: do more to prevent the criminalization of pregnant people—[like Brittany Watts](—post-Dobbs and support those who are unfairly targeted by law enforcement. As I [reported]( earlier this week, Watts is the Black woman from Ohio who was charged with a felony in October over her handling of an at-home miscarriage; when she later sought care at a hospital, a nurse reported her to police. While a grand jury ultimately declined to indict Watts, the letter notes that “the fact that Ms. Watts faced degrading law enforcement interrogation and that such a case was even brought forward at all is alarming and cruel." The number of lawmakers who signed on to Thursday’s letter suggests there may be broader support for campaigning on reproductive justice issues. But for the Biden administration, that could also get complicated—and it may require them to be more radical than they're comfortable with. As Renee Bracey Sherman, co–executive director of the abortion storytelling advocacy organization We Testify, [pointed out]( when she shared my story on X: "abortion and policing are connected"—and Biden will have to be willing to confront how they intersect if he wants to prevent the criminalization of all pregnant people, including abortion seekers. —Julianne McShane Advertisement [House Donation Ad]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [More Than 150 Democrats Urge Biden to Help Stop the Criminalization of Pregnant People]( As Biden campaigns on abortion, lawmakers are demanding he do more to prevent the criminalization of pregnancy more broadly—like what happened to Brittany Watts. BY JULIANNE MCSHANE MOJO MUST-LISTENS BY REVEAL   MoJo Daily Readers: Don't Miss Out on Reveal! Ever found yourself listening to a podcast and thinking, "This could be an incredible movie"? That's where Reveal steps in. Brought to you weekly by the Center for Investigative Reporting, Reveal offers listeners engaging stories that not only enlighten but also inspire. Dive into Reveal’s latest episode by clicking [this link](. Don't miss out on experiencing the depth of Reveal's investigative journalism through film. Catch [Victim/Suspect]( on Netflix and look forward to [The Grab]( coming to Hulu this summer. Both films are rooted in Reveal’s groundbreaking investigations, showcasing the high-impact work they've been doing for more than a decade. [Trending] [Moms for Liberty has a nudity problem]( BY JUDD LEGUM   [Right-wing moms are headed to the border, too]( BY KIERA BUTLER   [Republican senators who ditched their jobs to make a point can't have those jobs back, state court rules]( BY HENRY CARNELL   [The border convoy that's bringing together all of the right's favorite conspiracies]( BY KIERA BUTLER Advertisement [House Subscription Ad]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( ["Independent" investigations into sexual abuse are big business. Can survivors really trust them?]( When an aid organization hired agents to investigate her father's violence, the resulting probe became her new nightmare. BY MADISON PAULY [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755