Here's What You Need To Know About The Right To Contraception Act
When the Supreme Court overturned the landmark ruling of Roe v. Wade, which protected abortion access across the United States, women were concerned (via NPR). The case was originally heard in the '70s and protected access to the procedure under the Constitution.
With Roe v. Wade out of the picture, abortion laws were placed in the hands of individual state governments, and access to the procedure was made illegal in places such as Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, amongst others (per The Washington Post). Though judges blocked many of the trigger bills, legal battles have continued. These states already had strict abortion regulations in place, now, in some states, residents who seek a procedure out of state could be persecuted.
Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas made it clear that other cases will be looked into with the same lens. Same-sex marriage could be another set of rights put before the Supreme Court down the line.
With rights up in the air, the United States Congress has attempted to put laws in place to protect rulings like this from happening again. Most recently, the House of Representatives issued the Right To Conception Act. Here is what you should know about the legislation.
The law will help protect access to birth control across the United States
With Roe v. Wade overturned, access to abortion will become increasingly difficult across the country. As a result, Congress began workshopping a set of laws that would help protect the right to contraceptives (via ABC News).
The House of Representatives passed the bill on Thursday, which codifies the right to birth control across the United States. While 195 Republicans voted against the bill, it passed with a total of 228 votes (per The Huffington Post). The bill will protect access to contraceptives and the rights of physicians to prescribe these medications to their patients.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shared in a press conference prior to the vote, "It is clear that their attempts to roll back the clock on contraception is again another plank on their extreme agenda for American women." She added, "Let us be clear: We are not going back ― for our daughters, for our granddaughters."