Harris meets with abortion providers as court ruling looms

Vice President Kamala Harris takes her official portrait Thursday, March 4, 2021, in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with abortion providers from states with some of the nation’s strictest restrictions on the procedure Thursday. She said they are “on the front lines of this war on women’s rights.” The virtual meeting included providers from Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Missouri, and Montana.

The meeting comes weeks after the release of a draft Supreme Court opinion suggesting that justices are on the brink of overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

A final ruling is expected in the next six weeks, but those states and others are already laying the groundwork to ban abortion outright.