October 19, 2017

Duckworth, Durbin Help Introduce Bill to Block Trump Administration’s Roll Back of Birth Control Mandate

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Patty Murray (D-WA), U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and 39 Senate and House Democrats in introducing legislation to safeguard a woman's access to birth control against the Trump administration's efforts to make it harder for women to access contraceptive coverage. The Protect Access to Birth Control Act would block the administration's mandate issued on October 6th that allows companies to interfere in their employees' health care choices and forces women to pay more for an essential part of their health care.

"Limiting access to birth control doesn't just limit women's control over their reproductive lives - it limits the health care options available to women who need treatment for endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome and other medical conditions," said Duckworth. "I'm proud to work with my colleagues to ensure women and their families have access to the contraceptive coverage they need to stay healthy, and I'll keep pushing back against any attempts from the Trump administration to endanger women's health."

"President Trump believes that women's medical decisions should be decided by her employer. I disagree. Women's health care choices should be made by her, her family, and her doctor," said Durbin.

Cosponsors of the Senate bill include: Ron Wyden (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Al Franken (D-MN), Edward Markey (D-MA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Tom Udall (D-NM).

Cosponsors of the companion legislation in the House of Representatives include: Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Judy Chu (D-CA) and Lois Frankel (D-FL).