Sample Questions for Members of Congress
If you're holding your elected officials accountable for their positions in person, consider asking them one or more of the following questions on reproductive rights.
Expressing your first amendment rights — including peaceful protest and demanding answers from elected officials — is critical to our democracy. That said, nothing on this website is intended to encourage, produce, or incite imminent lawless action. Before engaging in these tactics, be sure to understand and abide by all applicable laws.
Questions to Ask Reproductive Rights Opponents
- Why do you think you’re more qualified than a patient and their doctor to make reproductive health care decisions?
- Do you support a national abortion ban?
- Why do you support hospitals putting pregnant people’s lives in danger by refusing to treat them in a medical emergency if they need an abortion?
- How sick does a pregnant person need to be before they can get the emergency abortion care they need?
- If a patient, personalize this question with: When I was in need of care, how long was I supposed to remain sick until…
- Do you think you're more qualified than a physician and patient to make decisions about emergency care or life-saving care that includes abortion?
- Do you support charging a grandmother or friend with a crime for helping a person get abortion care?
- Do you support criminal charges for people who help someone get the abortion care they need, like Uber drivers, family, or friends?
- Do you believe that politicians should be able to restrict where you can travel for health care?
- Do you think a doctor should face jail time for providing people with essential health care, like abortion?
- Why do you think politicians are more qualified than scientists at evaluating the safety of medication, including safe, effective medication abortion?
Questions to Ask Reproductive Rights Champions:
- Why is it important for doctors and patients to make health care decisions together without interference from politicians?
- How are you supporting federal protections for abortion care?
- Why do you think it is essential that pregnant people have access to emergency medical care?
- Do you support legislation that would protect a patient’s right to travel across state lines to get abortion care?
- Why do you think it is dangerous to threaten doctors with jail time for providing patients with abortion care?
- Why do you believe politicians have no place interfering in the FDA’s independent scientific decision making, including around medication abortion?