Senators Murray and Casey Will Reintroduce Legislation to Stop Trump Rules Limiting Access to Birth Control

Senator Murray and Casey announce plan to reintroduce Protect Access to Birth Control Act, bill would stop Trump Administration rules undermining access to birth control

Move comes on heels of SCOTUS decision upholding Trump rule, announcement House cosponsors will reintroduce legislation as well

Murray:  “We can’t let access to essential health care like birth control become a luxury only available to those who can afford it.”

Casey: “Allowing a private employer to deny employees access to birth control treats all who rely on it like second-class citizens, and will disproportionately impact low-wage workers, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community who already face barriers to care.”

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Senator Bob Casey, (D-PA) announced they will reintroduce the Protect Access to Birth Control Act when the Senate returns. The legislation would stop rules from the Trump Administration which allow a person’s school or employer to undermine their access to birth control. The announcement from the Senators follows a Supreme Court ruling  earlier this week upholding the Trump Administration rules. House co-sponsors have also announced plans to reintroduce the legislation.

“We can’t let access to essential health care like birth control become a luxury only available to those who can afford it. It’s disappointing that over a decade after Congress first passed legislation to require insurance to cover birth control we are still fighting to make sure we live up to that promise—but we are not giving up. I’m going to keep working to make sure no one has their health care decisions overruled by their school or employer, and that everyone can get the health care they need,” said Senator Murray.

“The Trump Administration has once again callously chosen to strip Americans of their health care. Allowing a private employer to deny employees access to birth control treats all who rely on it like second-class citizens, and will disproportionately impact low-wage workers, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community who already face barriers to care,” said Senator Casey. “That is why I am reintroducing the Protect Birth Control Act – if the Supreme Court and the Trump Administration will not rectify this gross injustice, Congress must act to repeal this rule.”

The legislation has been endorsed by National Women’s Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Reproductive Rights, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Guttmacher Institute, Power To Decide, the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, Physicians for Reproductive Health and the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum.  

Read the legislative text HERE.

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