The Quickie: Senate Republicans Block Right to Contraception Act

Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day. You can read “The Quickie'' online here.

In today’s Quickie: Senate Republicans block Right to Contraception Act, a PP Votes spotlight, new focus group report, and PPSAT asks judge to strike down provisions

SENATE REPUBLICANS BLOCK RIGHT TO CONTRACEPTION ACT: Once again, politicians hostile to sexual and reproductive health are showing us exactly who they are. Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) brought forward the Right to Contraception Act — a bill reintroduced by Sens. Markey (D-MA), Hirono (D-HI), and Duckworth (D-IL) — that would protect the right to birth control.

This seems like an easy “yes” vote, right? Since the vast majority of Americans believe birth control should be easier to get?

Nope.

Statement from Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

“This is diabolical. These politicians who fight with every fiber of their being to ban birth control and abortion — who believe they have a right to control our bodies — continue to show us that they don’t care about protecting people’s health and well-being. They obviously have no understanding of the many reasons people are prescribed birth control, including managing conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, hormone therapy, period cramps, acne, and the lowering of risk of cervical and ovarian cancer, to name just a few. And that’s why politicians have no business inserting themselves in medical decisions.”

Read more here.

THE GOP IS COMING FOR ACCESS TO BIRTH CONTROL NEXT: Jenny Lawson, executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes, also commented on the failure to pass the Right to Contraception Act: 

“[This] vote is a stark reminder that if they can come for Roe, they can come for anything — including birth control. Last month, Donald Trump said he was considering restrictions on contraception before walking it back. But we know that he and his allies running for Congress remain dead set on controlling our lives, bodies, and futures…. The choice could not be more clear for voters. Planned Parenthood Votes will be there to make sure they understand who will fight for their right to birth control, abortion, and other sexual and reproductive health care services.”

Read more on the GOP’s assault on birth control here and here.

NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPACT OF ABORTION BANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY: Today, Navigator released a new focus group report detailing stories of how abortion bans have impacted people across the country. The research found that in almost two years since the Dobbs decision, the abortion debate remains salient, with women across party lines aware and angry about the erosion of abortion rights and the threats to other essential sexual and reproductive health care. Participants also shared painful stories about the harm abortion bans have caused, with many now thinking twice when planning their futures and expressing fear for future generations.

Read the full report here.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD SOUTH ATLANTIC ASKS FEDERAL JUDGE TO STRIKE DOWN PROVISIONS IN NORTH CAROLINA’S BAN: Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina held a summary judgment hearing in Planned Parenthood South Atlantic’s (PPSAT) case challenging to parts of North Carolina’s 12-week abortion ban that took effect last year. Alongside Dr. Beverly Gray, PPSAT asked the court to permanently block two provisions: one requiring any abortion after 12 weeks be provided in a hospital, and one demanding that providers document the gestational age of a pregnancy before dispensing medication abortion. Per the plaintiffs, these restrictions make it even more difficult for North Carolinians to access care under the 12-week ban.

“These dangerous barriers were concocted by anti-abortion legislators hellbent on blocking access to abortion and making care more difficult to access for patients,” said Jenny Black, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. “Restrictions like these make no sense. They worsen the reproductive health crisis in North Carolina and disproportionately harm patients in extremely difficult circumstances and those who face inordinate barriers in accessing abortion care, including people of color, people who live in rural parts of the state, and people with low incomes. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic remains committed to helping every patient navigate the unjust and inhumane confines of this law as we continue to fight for the reproductive freedom of all North Carolinians.”

Read more here