(Bloomberg) — President Joe Biden will pledge Tuesday to codify abortion protection into federal law with his first bill in a new Congress, as he looks to rally voters for Democrats in the November midterm elections.
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Biden’s promise, however, hinges on his party at least holding the House and making gains in the Senate. But three weeks out from Election Day it is looking unlikely Democrats can manage both.
The president will make his pledge during remarks about abortion rights at a Democratic National Committee event in Washington, a Democratic official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Biden would plan to sign the legislation codifying the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling around the 50th anniversary of the decision in January, the official said.
Polls show it’s unlikely Democrats hang onto the House, while Senate races in key states are tightening ahead of the election.
Biden and Democrats have campaigned heavily against the Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe, a move that opened the door to a flood of abortion restrictions and bans in Republican-controlled states.
The president, a practicing Roman Catholic, has at times relied on Vice President Kamala Harris and others to rally voters on the issue.
Democrats saw a bump in polls following the decision, though there are signs it’s leveling off. A poll published Monday by the New York Times and Siena College found independent women voters swinging toward Republicans, an indication that economic woes are overshadowing abortion in those voters’ minds.
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