Joe Biden says US federal law 'fastest way' to restore abortion rights

(Representative Image: AP)

United States President Joe Biden on July 8 called for Congress to pass a federal law restoring abortion rights after the landmark Supreme Court ruling that overturned the nationwide right to the procedure.

"The fastest way to restore (the Roe v Wade ruling of 1973) is to pass a national law codifying Roe, which I will sign immediately," said Biden, whose Democratic Party does not now have enough control over Congress to push such a bill through.

He branded the conservative-majority Supreme Court as "out of control" after its landmark ruling last month that overturned the nationwide right to abortion, in force since 1973.

"We cannot allow an out of control Supreme Court working in conjunction with extremist elements of the Republican Party to take away freedoms and our personal autonomy," he said.

"The choice we face as a nation is between the mainstream and the extreme."

The Supreme Court of the United States on June 24 ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place for nearly 50 years in a decision by its conservative majority to overturn Roe vs Wade.

The US Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling powered by its conservative majority, upheld a Republican-backed Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks. Friday’s outcome is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.