Duckworth, Schatz, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Protect Reproductive Rights, Expose Violations Globally
Trump Administration Omitted Reproductive Rights In Recently-Released Human Rights Report
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) today led a group of 17 Senators in introducing the Reproductive Rights Are Human Rights Act, legislation that requires the U.S. State Department to include reproductive rights in its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. The State Department omitted reproductive rights from its most recent human rights report released earlier this month, renewing a practice started under the first Trump administration.
“As reproductive rights face daily assaults worldwide, our nation should be leading the charge to protect women’s access to basic health care—not undermining it,” said Senator Duckworth. “But Trump and MAGA Republicans’ anti-choice crusade is sending the exact wrong message, and we are already seeing the horrific consequences of it here at home. This legislation makes clear that Senate Democrats understand reproductive rights are human rights. By requiring the Trump Administration to include reproductive rights assessments in its annual human rights reports, we can provide a clearer, more honest picture of any nation’s human rights record—and that’s an important step to take.”
“Access to safe and timely reproductive care is an essential right for women and girls around the world, and we ought to know when care is being restricted and rights are being trampled,” said Senator Schatz. “Our bill requires the Trump administration to follow the longstanding practice of including reproductive rights as part of annual human rights reports rather than arbitrarily picking and choosing which rights matter.”
The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Trade Act of 1974 require the Secretary of State to report to Congress every year on the status of human rights in countries that receive American assistance as well as all United Nations member states. Since 2011, the annual reports have included information on the status of women’s access to reproductive rights.
Congress and the private sector rely on the State Department’s reports when considering appropriations requests and making policy and planning decisions. The report is also used by immigration judges and asylum officers to determine the asylum status of women declaring human rights abuses at the U.S. border.
In addition to Duckworth and Schatz, the Reproductive Rights Are Human Rights Act is co-sponsored U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). A companion bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Julie Johnson (D-TX-32) and Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51).
The bill is endorsed by Advocates for Youth, Guttmacher Institute, Ipas, Reproductive Freedom for All, Population Connection Act Fund, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Friends of the Earth United States, Women’s Refugee Commission, International Center for Research on Women, Center for Reproductive Rights, Catholics for Choice, Oxfam America, Population Institute, PAI, Center for Biological Diversity, FP2030, Amnesty International USA and Population Council.
The full text of the legislation is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.
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