Joe Biden vows to make Congress codify abortion rights if Democrats win

U.S President Joe Biden promised to enshrine Roe v. Wade into law if Democrats strengthen their hold on Congress, emphasizing his party’s commitment to abortions rights as the country heads into the midterm elections.

Biden made the remarks at an event hosted by the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.

The president said that the first bill he would sign into law — if Americans elected to keep Democrats in control — would codify the landmark abortion law that the U.S. Supreme Court overturned in June.

“When Congress passes it, I’ll sign it in January, 50 years after Roe was first decided,” Biden said. “Together we’ll restore the right to choose for every woman in every state in America.”

Biden was surrounded by a group holding signs with the words “Restore Roe,” “Defend choice,” and “Elect Democrats.” A few hundred Democratic supporters filled out the audience at the Howard Theatre in D.C.

Nearly half of U.S. states have banned or will soon ban abortion following the Supreme Court’s decision that ended the constitutional right to abortion in the country.

Research by Gallup conducted earlier this year found that a politician’s stance on abortion rights will factor more heavily into voter intention than in previous elections. Twenty-seven percent of respondents said that a politician would need to share their views on abortion in order to earn their vote — the highest percentage measured by Gallup in any election year. Another 54% of respondents said abortion would be a major factor in how they vote.