As Senate Republicans Turn Their Backs on Contraception, They Turn Their Backs on America’s Moms
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2024
CONTACT: Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996
Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocking passage of the Right to Contraception Act today:
“It’s appalling. Shameful. Inexcusable. Grossly out of touch. Today Republicans in the U.S. Senate refused to take the simple step of enshrining our right to contraception into federal law when they voted down the Right to Contraception Act. At this moment when tens of millions of us have lost access to basic reproductive health care, when our children have fewer rights than their moms and grandmothers had, Senate Republicans refused to guarantee our access to contraception – condoms, IUDs, the pill, the patch, Plan B, and other safe and effective ways to prevent pregnancy – even though that right may very well be at risk.
“For moms, access to contraception is essential. Moms rely on contraception to plan our families – to be able to choose if and when we have children – which is a fundamental right. We rely on it to maintain our health and pursue our education and careers. It lets us contribute to our economy. But we know that, today, none of our rights are secure. As soon as SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade, extremist politicians across the country denied women access to basic reproductive health care, including abortion, miscarriage care, IVF services, and various forms of contraception that they falsely claim are abortifacients. The clinics we rely on for cancer screenings and pregnancy prevention are being forced to close. As a result, the health and lives of moms and all pregnant people are at risk – and moms, women of color, low-income women, young, rural and immigrant women, people with disabilities and those who are LGBTQIA+ are suffering the most.
“The Right to Contraception Act would ensure that health care providers can provide the contraception moms want and need. When Senate Republicans turned their backs on it today, they turned their backs on America’s moms. We will fight back until our access to contraception – and all reproductive health care – is secure.”
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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.