House votes to pass bill guaranteeing access to contraception
Jul 21, 2022, 11:54 AM
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 20: U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during an event on Capitol Hill on July 20, 2022 in Washington, DC. Pelosi joined other members of the Democratic caucus in discussing The Right to Contraception Act that the House will vote on tomorrow, a law that would codify the right to access and use FDA approved contraceptives. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
(CNN) — The House voted Thursday to pass a bill that would guarantee access to contraception by protecting the right to buy and use contraceptives without government restriction.
The final vote was 228-195.
Eight Republicans crossed over to vote with Democrats. Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Fred Upton of Michigan, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, John Katko of New York, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Maria Salazar of Florida and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois joined all the Democrats in voting for the bill. Two Republicans, Reps. Bob Gibbs of Ohio and Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, voted present, meaning they took no position either way on the bill
The vote falls among action House Democrats are trying to take following the Supreme Court’s decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. In that decision, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote separately in a concurring opinion that the high court should reconsider “substantive due process precedents” in decisions, including Griswold v. Connecticut, that allows access to contraception.
The Right to Contraception Act, introduced by Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning of North Carolina, aims to “protect a person’s ability to access contraceptives and to engage in contraception, and to protect a health care provider’s ability to provide contraceptives, contraception, and information related to contraception,” according to text of the bill.
The White House said it “strongly supports” the bill in a statement Monday, adding “access to contraception is essential to ensuring all people have control over personal decisions about their own health, lives, and families.”
Earlier this week, the House passed a bill that would enshrine protections for same-sex marriage into federal law, with 47 Republicans joining Democrats voting in favor of the bill. It is unclear whether the bill can pass the Senate where at least 10 Republicans are needed to side with Democrats to overcome the filibuster’s 60-vote threshold.
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments Thursday.
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