President Joe Biden, in an interview that will appear Sunday on social media, says he would back federal funding to support people seeking an abortion.
Biden tells progressive NowThis that he would support financial assistance for people who need to take time off work and pay for childcare to obtain an abortion, Axios reported.
The report comes two days after Biden promised that the first bill he sends to Capitol Hill, if Democrats control both chambers of the new Congress, will be one that codifies Roe v. Wade.
During the interview to be shown by NowThis, a female medical resident, after informing Biden that some companies have begun helping their workers pay for abortions, asked the president whether he would support federal funding for the same services.
"The answer is absolutely ... I do support that, and I've publicly urged companies to do that. I've urged them publicly as president of the United States saying, 'This is what you should be doing,'" Biden said in an interview taped Tuesday, Axios reported.
"I urge you to do it because there's so many, and imagine the women who need that kind of assistance, but have no money at all to be able to do this. None. How, how — what do they do? They don't have the option."
In fundraisers and in political speeches, Biden has vowed to reject any abortion restrictions that may come to his desk in a GOP-controlled Congress. He also has urged voters to boost the Democrat ranks in the Senate so enough senators would be willing to change Senate rules, particularly regarding the filibuster. That would make it easier to pass legislation.
With NowThis owning a significant social media presence — more than 80 million followers across Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram accounts — Biden appears to be making an effort to communicate to young voters about various social issues ahead of the midterms.
A NowThis correspondent moderated the Biden interview, conducted with six young adults about six key issues — abortion access, trans rights, criminal justice reform, gun safety, economic insecurity, and climate injustice, Axios said.
Democrats are desperate to maintain control of Congress with polls indicating they will, at the very least, lose their majority in the House in the Nov. 8 election.
Although Democrats gained ground during the summer following the Supreme Court's ruling that overturned the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationally, surveys show that rising inflation and gasoline prices are moving voters to the GOP.