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Indiana OB-GYN Caitlin Bernard to attend State of the Union address

Dr. Caitlin Bernard was reprimanded by the Indiana Medical Licensing Board but allowed to continue practicing without any restrictions.
Dr. Caitlin Bernard was reprimanded by the Indiana Medical Licensing Board but allowed to continue practicing without any restrictions.

Dr. Caitlin Bernard will accompany a member of the U.S. House of Representatives at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address to Congress.
 
Rep. Judy Chu, who represents Los Angeles County, invited the Indianapolis-based OB-GYN to attend Biden’s address Thursday night.
 
Read more: How to watch and listen to NPR's coverage of Biden's State of the Union speech
 
Chu said that she was looking forward to hearing Biden “chart a part forward to restore and strength reproductive freedoms across the country.”
 
“Through their Dobbs decision, the MAGA Justices on the Supreme Court accelerated the extremist right’s march to undermine all our reproductive freedoms and implement a nationwide abortion ban, but courageous physicians like Dr. Bernard remain on the frontlines of our health care system to provide medical and abortion care to Americans who need it,” Chu said Wednesday, in a statement.
 
In 2022, Bernard performed an abortion for a 10-year-old rape victim who was not able to receive care in neighboring Ohio.
 
Bernard later came under attack by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and other authorities who accused her of violating patient confidentiality by disclosing information to the Indianapolis Star. 

Read more:  AG reprimanded for misconduct over Bernard remarks

Bernard said she was honored to attend the State of the Union as Chu’s guest.
 
“As a trained physician, I have dedicated my life to providing the best care that I can for patients who want and need it. This includes if and when they want to start a family,” Bernard said in the statement. “Patients must be able to make these personal and sometimes complicated decisions and doctors must be able to offer this care without interference from powerful people who are motivated by politics or ideology.”
 
Bernard added that Americans “need bold, immediate change to protect and expand access to reproductive care, and I look forward to hearing from President Biden about his plans to take this important action for patients and providers.”
 
Biden will address the U.S. Congress on Thursday at 9 p.m. eastern.

Read more:  Abortion restrictions prevent OB-GYN training in Indiana 

Another Hoosier expected to attend the address is Justin Phillips, founder and CEO of Overdose Lifeline, which works to prevent overdoses.
 
Phillips helped pass Indiana’s “Aaron’s Law,” which allows people to access the emergency overdose medication Narcan without a prescription.
 
Phillips will be attending as a special guest of Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, according to a list of guests released by the White House.
 
Shawn Fain, the current president of the United Auto Workers and a native of Kokomo, is also expected to attend Biden's address.

George Hale is a Multi-Media Journalist at Indiana Public Media. He previously worked as an Investigative Reporter for NPR’s northeast Texas member station KETR. Hale has reported from the West Bank and Gaza, Israel, Jordan and Egypt.