Tag Archives: birth control

Nearly Every House Republican Votes Against Codifying Right to Contraception

“If they had the chance they would ban it,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).

By Julia Conley  Published 7-21-2022 by Common Dreams

Screenshot: C-SPAN

With many lawmakers expressing disbelief that a law codifying the right to use birth control is needed in the U.S. in 2022, House Democrats passed the Right to Contraception Act on Thursday—joined by just eight Republicans as the party denied access to contraception is under attack.

All 220 Democrats voted in favor of the bill.

“One hundred ninety-five House Republicans just voted against protecting your right to access contraception,” said Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.). Continue reading

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‘Hands Off My Birth Control’: Activists Demand US Supreme Court Protect Women’s Health

‘Denying any woman the healthcare she needs and is guaranteed by law is discrimination, plain and simple’

By Nika Knight, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 3-23-2016

'The question is, will the Court sanction the use of religion to discriminate?' wonders an American Civil Liberties Union legal expert. (Photo: Planned Parenthood/Twitter)

‘The question is, will the Court sanction the use of religion to discriminate?’ wonders an American Civil Liberties Union legal expert. (Photo: Planned Parenthood/Twitter)

The Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments on Wednesday in Zubik v. Burwell, a reproductive rights case with high stakes and implications “far beyond the realm of reproductive healthcare,” as ProPublica observed.

In a case reminiscent of Hobby Lobby’s successful suit that permitted the for-profit corporation to refuse its employees healthcare coverage for birth control, in Zubik v. Burwell religious organizations argue that allowing their female employees to access birth control—even birth control provided by a third party—violates their religious rights. Continue reading

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In Report Card for Reproductive Justice, United States Gets a ‘D’

Published on Thursday, January 15, 2015 by Common Dreams
"At a time where polls show the majority of Americans support legal access to abortion, this report shows that federal legislators in our nation's capital are continuing to prioritize a rollback of women's rights while states have begun to stem the tide of anti-choice laws that riled voters in 2014," said Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. (Photo: amboo who?/flickr/cc)

“At a time where polls show the majority of Americans support legal access to abortion, this report shows that federal legislators in our nation’s capital are continuing to prioritize a rollback of women’s rights while states have begun to stem the tide of anti-choice laws that riled voters in 2014,” said Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. (Photo: amboo who?/flickr/cc)

According to a just-released report card from NARAL Pro-Choice America, the United States gets a “D” grade overall for the poor state of reproductive rights across the country.

Half of all states, however, didn’t even make that dismal mark and received failing grades—in a tie with last year’s record high number of flunking states.

Continue reading

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