Reproductive Equity Now Statement After Senate Republicans Block Passage of Right to Contraception Act
Ahead of the anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut, failure to advance legislation protecting contraception rights highlights need for democracy reform
BOSTON (June 5, 2024) – Today, the United States Senate held a vote on S.1999, the Right to Contraception Act, legislation introduced by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) to guarantee people the right to obtain and use contraceptives, and health providers the ability to prescribe contraceptives and give information related to contraception, free from government interference. While the bill garnered the full support of the Democratic Senate Caucus, Republican opposition to protecting reproductive health care access prevented the bill from advancing under the filibuster.
“We’re grateful that today all twelve New England senators stood up for our right to access reproductive health care by voting to advance the Right to Contraception Act. We’d like to extend our deep gratitude to Senator Markey for his leadership in authoring and introducing this bill,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, President of Reproductive Equity Now.
“But unfortunately, as we have seen today, without bold democracy reform, including the elimination of the filibuster, anti-abortion Republicans in the Senate will continue to block any progress the federal government can make to protect or expand our right to abortion, contraception, and the full spectrum of reproductive health care. Today, anti-abortion extremists’ true intentions were put on full display. They will not stop at blocking our right to contraception; they are pursuing a national abortion ban, attacking IVF and assisted reproduction, and attempting to eliminate LGBTQ+ health care.
Hart Holder continued, “Today’s failure to advance the Right to Contraception Act, ahead of this week’s anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut, drives home why state-based organizing for reproductive equity is so important. This November, we must elect reproductive equity champions up and down the ballot, from the Oval Office to the Senate to state legislatures and city halls. We cannot sit idly by and watch as legislation protecting our basic human rights is repeatedly blocked by far-right, anti-abortion politicians.”
This Friday marks the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Griswold v. Connecticut, a landmark decision which is the bedrock of jurisprudence guaranteeing people’s right to access contraception without interference. In his concurring opinion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas called into question the constitutionality of Griswold v. Connecticut, and suggested that the case should be reconsidered by the Court.
Last month, Donald Trump, the leading Republican presidential candidate, expressed interest in national restrictions on birth control and contraception. Project 2025, the extreme far-right playbook developed by allies of the former president outlining plans for the first year of a second Trump presidency, includes plans to interrupt access to contraception. Project 2025 urges Republican politicians to defund reproductive health clinics, inaccurately classify certain forms of contraception as “abortifacients,” and push unscientific disinformation regarding contraception and family planning at patients through gag orders on physicians.
Reproductive Equity Now works across New England to guarantee the full spectrum of reproductive health care for all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, income, zip code, gender, age, immigration status, ability, sexual orientation, or religion. Learn more about the organization at reproequitynow.org.
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