Thank you, madam klein. Good afternoon. So the Dobbs Decision created a Health Care Crisis in america and this task force was convened by the president of the United States to address this crisis in a way that we would approach it from an all of government hands on approach to address what we have the ability to do to ensure that the women of america receive all the protections they are due under law and that our administration through our agencies can provide to assist them to have access to the care they need and deserve. We believe and i certainly believe that a woman should have the freedom to make decisions about her own body and that her government should not be making those decisions for her. We believe that if she chooses, she of course will and can consult with her physician with her loved ones with her faith leader. One does not have to abandon their faith or beliefs to agree that the government should not be making these decisions for the women of america. Todays extremist, so called leaders are attacking the freedom and liberty of millions of women at a state level in arizona, for example, a judge recently upheld in 1864. Thats not a statute, thats the year 1860 for abortion ban, with no exceptions for rape or incest in wisconsin. As another example that state activated an abortion ban that was passed in 1849, thats 173 years ago and make note that at that time women also did not have the right to vote. What we are seeing in laws around our country is the criminalization of doctors and Healthcare Providers in some situations that to divide to six years in prison would be the penalty. These laws have been written and passed many of them when women were deprived, like i said, of their full rights of citizens and the right to vote. When were thinking about those laws. From 1864, we have convened this task force at the earliest days after the Dobbs Decision and this is our next convening our second meeting of the task force in august when we convened, um there was a lot of work to address and determine what we could do as an administration. Since then, im proud to report a lot of work has taken place. For example, in our department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Affairs agency will provide abortion care to veterans and family members to protect the health or life of the woman in cases of rape or incest. An example of the work that is happening includes the department of education which is making clear that it is against the law under title nine to discriminate on the basis of pregnancy at the department of justice. We know that the department of justice filed a lawsuit in idaho to protect Emergency Medical Care and the Idaho Federal Court issued a preliminary injunction against the ban there. It is important to know that if there were a national law that was passed in the United States congress to protect reproductive care, so called leaders then could not ban abortion even in the cases of rape and incest, they could not criminalize providers. They could not limit access to contraception if Congress Passed a law that protected these rights. So it is important for everyone to know what is at stake to stop and reverse these attacks on women we need to pass such a , national law. And so we need the American People to make their voices heard and take a stand on the right of all women to exercise their choice to have access to Reproductive Health care. And ill close by mentioning that as we know, Justice Clarence thomas said the quiet part out loud in terms of the other rights that are also now at stake such as access to contraception and samesex marriage, marriage equality. And we already see by the way our early warnings event taking place. Take for example whats happening at the university of idaho, which is refusing to provide contraception to their students, its already starting. So again, this presents this issue a crisis as it relates to health care in america. And in response, we will continue to do the work as an administration, including working with folks in our country to build a coalition around all folks who understand what is at stake for them and the people they love. And with that, i will again thank jen klein for her work and and co chair secretary basara and pass it back to jen to moderate the discussion. Thank you, Vice President harris for your leadership of course and for your continued commitment to these issues. Its now my honor to turn to you mr president , president biden. President biden, first of all, i created this task force in the aftermath of the Supreme Courts, most people would acknowledge is Fairly Extreme decision on dobbs. To launch a whole of government approach to address the damages. That decision, excuse me, ive said before the court got roe right 50 years ago and congress should codify the protections of roe and do it once and for all. But right now we have were short a handful of votes. The only way its going to happen is if the American People make it happen. Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans are doubling down on an extreme position with the proposal for a national ban. Let me be clear what that means. It means that even if you live in a state where extremist republican officials arent running the show, your right to choose will still be at risk because republicans in Congress Want to pass a law to take away the right to choose for every woman in every state, in every county. And theres no, theres no pushing back from that. Its also pushing laws to not allow for exceptions of rape and incest and or the life of the mother in some cases. And uh, you know, its really scary part that in some states theyre already succeeding. When the decision came down, i said, and Justice Thomas warned us very plainly that this wouldnt stop with a womans right to choose. And it would extend to the right to privacy itself and things like contraception. And so it was no surprise that were seeing extremist laws pop up around the country that are having a Ripple Effect far beyond the Health Rights of a pregnant woman. We have doctors here with us today who are on the front lines of this crisis, and many of these laws would make doctors criminals just for treating a patient in arizona. They had a law which has been mentioned by the Vice President on the books in 1860 for that 1864 before, during the civil war. And when in effect again a week and a half ago and just two days after it went into effect, a young 14 Year Old Girl suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis and osteoporosis. Osteoporosis initially couldnt get a refill for her prescription. The drugs shed been taking for years to deal with her two diseases because concerns that that very prescription could be used to terminate the pregnancy in violation of the law in that state. And thats exactly what were afraid would happen. This 14 Year Old Girl couldnt get the medicine she needed for arthritis because of the extreme, backward and misguided law. Now, officials at the university of idaho said it should stop providing contraception. As was mentioned by the Vice President. In fact, the total University Staff that they could get in trouble just for talking or telling students about where they get Birth Control folks. What century are we in, and what are we doing . I respect everyones view on this personal decisions they make. But my lord, were talking about contraception here. It shouldnt be that controversial. But that is what this starts to look like when you take away the right of privacy. Ive asked education secretary cardona to look at in the steps that we can take to protect College Students and School Employees in idaho or other states where they access to contraception is at risk. And my message to any other college considering enacting policies like this. Dont, please dont. Were not gonna sit by and let republicans throughout the country enact extreme policies to threaten access to basic health care. And thats why were all here today. Thats why we formed this commission. I signed two executive orders and my administration has taken a number of actions that this task force is charged to carry out to protect access to Reproductive Health care, including Emergency Medical Care, to protect a womans right to travel to get healthcare, get health care she needs, to receive Health Care Free of discrimination and protect her privacy when she seeks it. Were fighting this battle in the courts, as well. I want to thank the Vice President and secretary for their leadership on this task force. I also want to thank secretary mcdonald for leading an important effort at the v. A. My message to folks across the country who are worried about what were seeing is the first that we have your back. Were not gonna step back from this. Second, weve heard your voices. I want to turn it over to secretary cardona now for his comments. Secretary cardona thank you, mr. President. I share your grave concerns about maintaining access to contraception and Reproductive Health services on our College Campuses and ensuring theres accurate, reliable information for students and for educators. Students need access to health care to thrive in school and in life, and that includes Reproductive Health care. Thank you also to Vice President harris. In august we met with College Leaders grappling with new sweeping restrictions to their states. Our Work Together is ongoing. It is clear the dobbs ruling has sown fear and confusion on our College Campuses. I worry about the chilling affects this uncertainty, including about access to Birth Control, will have on students. I think about the one in four women who experienced Sexual Assault in college and what this means for their safety and their wellbeing. I think about the College Student i met in september who wasnt able to enroll until she escaped a violent abuser. Access to Reproductive Health care is vital to these students and to countless others for success in college and beyond. Today my department is issuing a new resource to remind schools of their obligation under title 9. For 50 years, title 9 has protected students from based discrimination and since 1975 it has also protected students from discrimination based on pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or any related conditions. My department is fully committed to enforcing title 9s protections. The resource also explains how to file a complaint with your school or our office for civil rights if you or someone you know encounters discrimination. Today, i want to be clear with College Leaders in america. Access to contraception should not be in question and access to healthcare, including Reproductive Healthcare, is critical to the well being and success of our nations students. If youre committed to student success, you must be committed to student health. Thank you. Vice president harris thank you so much, secretary cardona again for your partnership, for your leadership. Now were going to turn to the real experts in the room. The physicians who have come to talk about the impact that dobbs is having and the laws passing across the country are having on their practice and patients. Were gonna start with you, dr. Anisha verma. Thank you. Good afternoon, president biden, Vice President harris and distinguished members of the task force. It is an honor to join you today. My name is dr. Nisha verma and i am a Board Certified fellowship trained obstetrician gynecologist who provides full spectrum Reproductive Health care. Im a fellow of the American College of ob gyn and currently provide care in georgia. Growing up in the south, i saw firsthand the devastating impacts of restrictions on contraception and abortion care in the lives of real people, my friends, family and people in my community. They are the reason im here before you today. I became a doctor and ob gyn because of my drive to care for people without judgment throughout the course of their lives regardless of their health care needs. Now, the Supreme Courts decision to overturn the constitutional right to abortion care has wreaked havoc across this country as states, including georgia, have severe abortion bans in effect and have threatened clinicians with criminal penalties. Because of the law that is not based in medicine or science, i am forced to turn away patients that i know how to care for. I have had teenagers with chronic medical conditions that make their pregnancy very high risk, and women with highly desired pregnancies who receive a terrible diagnosis of a fetal anomaly cry when they learn that they cant receive their abortion in our state and beg me to help them. Imagine looking someone in the eye and saying, i have all the skills and the tools to help you, but our states politicians have told me i cant. Imagine having to tell someone you are sick but not sick enough to receive care in our state based on our laws, very narrow exceptions. We trained for years and years to be able to provide evidence based, individualized care to our patients. Now, as a doctor in georgia, i am being forced to grapple with impossible situations where the laws of my state directly violate the medical expertise i gained through years of training and the oath i took to provide the best care to my patients. My colleagues and i have to think about whether were going to be criminalized and imprisoned, whether our licenses will be taken away, whether our livelihood will be threatened for providing compassionate evidencebased care. Unfortunately, weve already seen these threats become a reality for our fellow ob gyn in indiana over the summer. That absolutely has a chilling effect. I understand that abortion care can be a complicated issue for many people, just like so many aspects of healthcare and life can be. But i also know that abortion is necessary, compassionate, essential healthcare and that my patients are capable of making complex, thoughtful decisions about their health and lives. I remain unwavering in my commitment to support people in my home and community in the south and whatever way i can. I appreciate continued efforts to secure access to comprehensive Reproductive Health care for my patients. Thank you again for the opportunity to speak with you today. Thank you, dr. Verma. Now were going to turn to you, dr. Kristen latterly. Thank you so much. It is truly a pleasure and a privilege to be here with you all today. I am a general obstetrician gynecologist in green bay, wisconsin, and im a fellow of the American College of obstetricians and gynecologists. In my practice, i provide comprehensive care for women and underrepresented of populations. Prior to dobbs, i was also an Abortion Provider in cheboygan at one of only four abortion clinics, all located in the southeastern part of the state. With the fall of roe, our circumstances changed dramatically. We stopped providing abortions in wisconsin altogether. As we have already discussed we , have a law in wisconsin from 1849, which is one year older than the state and 70 years before women are the right to vote in this country. This law makes it a felony for me to provide abortion care to my patients. There are no exceptions for rape and no exceptions for incest. The only exception is for the life of the mother. But pregnant people dont have a warning light that comes on when theyve crossed that threshold. We have to use our clinical judgment developed through over a decade of formal education, experience, and commitment to make those kinds of sensitive individualized decisions. So in places like sheboygan county, where the District Attorney has specifically said that he will prosecute physicians, can i count on him to trust my clinical judgment . Looking back, would we agree that i met the criteria that my patient was sick enough . The effects are chilling. People in our state are being denied medication for miscarriage management. They are being denied treatment for an Emergency Department while actively bleeding, presumably because the treatment for a miscarriage, the medical term is a spontaneous abortion, is essentially the same as the medication or procedure that can terminate an early pregnancy. Those who can afford it, the money, time away from work, assistance with childcare obligations, they now have to go to illinois or minnesota. Many, especially in abusive relationships, are in difficult social situations. They have to continue their pregnancies or they resort to desperate measures. Downstream, this affects all of us. With Physici