Staff Reports
In the Senate, a Democratic-led bill aimed at safeguarding access to contraception was defeated on Wednesday. A majority of senators voted against the bill, falling short of the 60 votes needed to push the legislation forward. The outcome was not surprising, yet it gave Senate Democrats an opportunity to draw attention to a contentious political issue they think will help them and President Joe Biden in the upcoming November elections.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) emphasized the significance of the vote, stating that it was a chance for senators to reveal their true beliefs. He suggested that Republicans were hesitant to show their true stance on the issue. The proposed legislation sought to establish federal protections for birth control as a “fundamental right,” a move Democrats argued was essential in a post-Roe era where access to abortion is not guaranteed. The bill also included exemptions for contraception providers based on religious beliefs, and Schumer dismissed claims that it would expand abortion access as “vulgar fearmongering.”
Today’s vote on Democrats’ so-called “Right to Contraception Act” is aimed at nothing more than scaring and misleading the American people.
There is no state or territory that bans access to birth control pills. This is a brazen attempt to sway voters in an election year. pic.twitter.com/rVtCCRMAnj— U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) June 5, 2024
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) urged her Republican colleagues to stand with the majority of Americans who support the right to access contraception. The bill called the Right to Contraception Act, was ultimately defeated in a 51-39 vote, mostly along party lines, with only two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), opposing their party to vote in favor of the bill.
In response, Senate Republicans introduced their legislation led by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA). This alternative bill, the Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act, aimed to expand birth control options while ensuring that taxpayer funds would not support abortion or abortion providers. Sen. Ernst criticized the Democratic bill, claiming it would require access to abortion drugs for women and girls of all ages and funnel taxpayer money to organizations like Planned Parenthood.
Republicans have distanced themselves from recent court rulings in Alabama and Arizona that have impacted access to in vitro fertilization and abortion, demonstrating their commitment to protecting the sanctity of life.
