America subsidizes gas money for women to have abortions

The statement was made by Ms. Katherine Ragsdale, Interim President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation of America (NAF), on the morning of August 15, Vietnam time.The program is being rolled out as many states in the US have enacted laws banning abortion, forcing many women to travel to states that do not ban it to terminate their pregnancies.

“We are seeing an increase in patients choosing to travel long distances for abortions and think this will get worse in the future,” said Ms Ragsdale.

NAF is an organization with members including hospitals and clinics providing abortion services, headquartered in Washington DC.

It is not yet clear how much the initial fuel card will cost. The program will be piloted for three months through a number of NAF member hospitals or clinics. Pregnant women who do not want to have children will receive fuel cards from abortion providers.

“We have the freedom to make decisions about our families and our health, without being constrained by medical barriers or government mandates,” Ragsdale continued.

This year, several states in the US, including Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Ohio, have passed bills that would ban abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy. Lawmakers in Tennessee said they are considering a proposal to restrict abortions regardless of gestational age. However, so far no state has implemented the abortion law because it has not yet taken effect or has been challenged by a federal judge.

Anti-abortion legislation has also been widely opposed. Protests have taken place in states that support the bill.

Last weekend, President Donald Trump tweeted about abortion laws. He claimed that he is "pro-life" but supports abortion in three special cases including rape, incest and the mother's life is in danger.