House Passes New Bill, Right to Contraception Act, to Protect Access to Contraceptives
On Thursday, July 21, the House of Representatives passed a bill allowing access to contraceptives nationwide.
Many Democratic leaders realized they needed to act quickly when Supreme Court judge Clarence Thomas wrote that the Court should revisit cases such as Griswold vs Connecticut, which prevents states from making birth control illegal, by “correcting the error established in those precedents.”
Written and introduced by Representative Kathy Manning (NC-06), the Right to Contraception Act protects “a person’s ability to access contraceptives and to engage in contraception, and to protect health care provider’s ability to provide contraceptives, contraception, and information related to contraception.”
The bill was voted on and passed through the House on Thursday with a 228-195 vote. Eight Republican members and all Democrat members voted in support of the act. The eight Republicans that voted “Yes” for the Right to Contraception Act include Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Nancy Mace (SC-01), Fred Upton (MI-06), Anthony Gonzales (OH-16), John Katko (NY-24), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Maria Salazar (FL-27), and Adam Kinzinger (IL-16). Two Republicans, Mike Kelly (PA-16) and Bob Gibbs (OH-07) were present but did not vote.
i am VERY interested to hear why 195 Republicans think people shouldn’t have the right to access contraception. VERY interested. This entire body is up for reelection, so all 195 of them should have to explain this. https://t.co/ifQWdYfJE3
— Elizabeth May/Katrina Kendrick (@_ElizabethMay) July 21, 2022
Many politicians such as Representatives Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Nancy Mace (SC-01) talked about their support for the bill and why it’s so important on social media.
“We will now allow an out of control Supreme Court to further trample on the freedoms of American women,” tweets Connolly. “And by ‘we’ I mean Democrats.”
We just voted to protect your right to use birth control. We will not allow an out of control Supreme Court to further trample on the freedoms of American women.
— Rep. Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) July 21, 2022
And by “we” I mean Democrats.
195 Republicans voted no.
“This is why it’s also key to preserve the House majority,” writes Ocasio-Cortez on her Instagram stories. “GOP are descending into an extremism that many didn’t think was real…Now we should force this vote in the Senate.”
Representative Nancy Mace (SC-01), one of the Republicans who supported the bill, went to Twitter to explain why she voted ‘Yes’ on the Right to Contraception Act.
“When I was 16, I was raped,” admits Mace on Twitter. “I cannot imagine a world where my daughter, or any other woman, doesn’t have access to birth control or other contraceptives.”
When I was 16, I was raped. I dropped out of high school shortly after. This trauma turned my life upside down. I cannot imagine a world where my daughter, or any other woman, doesn’t have access to birth control or other contraceptives. https://t.co/ygvLp42A3N
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) July 21, 2022
On Wednesday, Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts released a press statement saying that they introduced a companion bill to the Senate. 27 Democratic senators have already co-sponsored the act. It is still unclear if the bill can garner 60 votes in the evenly-divided Senate.
Here at Glitter, we believe that everyone should have the right to have access to birth control and other contraceptives. We applaud the leaders and politicians doing everything they can to fight for women’s rights and policies.
Writer | Tweet me @lizlindain
