DeGette, Slaughter, Boxer, Murray & Colleagues Introduce Resolution Supporting Women's Reproductive Health

Washington, D.C. – Today, on the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Co-Chairs of the House Pro-Choice Caucus, and U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Patty Murray (D-WA), the Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, introduced a bicameral resolution in support of women's reproductive health and standing up for a woman's ability to make health care decisions for herself and her family.

"A woman's right to make her own health care decisions is fundamental, yet that right is under constant attack from Republican Congressional leaders and their political allies. We must stand for this fundamental right, stand up to baseless attacks on the right to choose, and stand by America's women," said Representative DeGette.

"If you had told me that 42 years after Roe v. Wade, we would still be debating whether women should have access to contraception and abortion services, I wouldn't have believed it. I thought we had turned that corner," Representative Slaughter said. "When the court made their ruling in Roe v. Wade, what it really did was give women control over their own lives. It gave them the ability to make their own health care decisions without some politician in a blue suit and a red tie interfering. Before then, women's educations, livelihoods, and even their lives were out of their control because of a lack of access to family planning. I remember when it was nearly impossible for women to attend college or have a job if they were pregnant, and had to seek out back-alley abortions in dire circumstances. Women in America don't want to go back to those dark ages."

"We are not going to let Republicans turn back the clock and we are not going to let them endanger the health and lives of America's women – we are going to stand up and fight back," said Senator Boxer.

"It's disappointing that after telling workers and families they would work across the aisle and focus on jobs and the economy, Republicans are instead introducing bill after bill attacking a woman's constitutional right to make her own decisions about her own health care," Senator Murray said. "But we've got a message for them: Not on our watch."

Thirty-two Senators joined Boxer and Murray in introducing the resolution: Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The full text of the resolution is below:
Whereas access to comprehensive reproductive health care is critical to improving the health and well-being of women and their families and is an essential part of their economic security;
Whereas access to affordable contraceptives, including emergency contraceptives, and medically accurate information prevents unintended pregnancies, thereby improving the health of women, children, families, and society as a whole;
Whereas Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), was decided 42 years ago and clarifies that women have a constitutional right to plan their families and futures;
Whereas private reproductive health care decisions should be decided by women and their health care providers;
Whereas the requirement under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148) that all insurance plans cover contraception without cost sharing has saved women at least $483,000,000, and more than 30,000,000 women are eligible for this benefit;
Whereas research suggests that increasing the rate of contraceptive use may be associated with the decline in teen pregnancy by 50 percent since 1990;
Whereas elected officials in many States and Congress have attempted to block or curtail women's access to medical care and information in order to fulfill a political agenda, and they have often succeeded in such attempts;
Whereas there have been numerous attempts, both legal and legislative, to allow insurance companies and employers to deny women coverage for all contraceptive methods approved by the Food and Drug Administration, even though the law requires such coverage, and such methods are based on a foundation of scientific evidence;
Whereas since the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, States have enacted hundreds of laws restricting access to women's reproductive health care and 24 States have enacted laws that reduce abortion coverage in plans that are offered through the Exchanges established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; and
Whereas 24 States have laws or policies that interfere with women's health care providers in a way that undermines, instead of strengthens, patient safety: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate supports efforts to—
(1) ensure that all women have access to the best available, scientifically-based health care and information;
(2) ensure that women can make their own private health care decisions with access to comprehensive, unbiased information and confidentiality;
(3) ensure that women and families, not their employers, make their own decisions about their health care;
(4) prohibit employers or government entities from interfering with or denying reproductive health care services guaranteed by law, including access to contraception without cost;
(5) promote preventive health care services and wellness for women;
(6) guarantee the constitutionally protected right to safe, legal abortion services;
(7) ensure that women have access to health care that fosters safe childbearing, with resources available to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality;
(8) ensure that all women have access to comprehensive, affordable insurance coverage that includes pregnancy-related care, such as prenatal care, miscarriage management, family planning services, abortions, labor and delivery services, and postnatal care; and
(9) enact legislation that improves and expands women's access to reproductive health care regardless of the State.

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