EXCLUSIVE — Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is introducing a contraception protection bill Monday that looks to increase access to over-the-counter birth control ahead of a planned Senate vote on legislation that seeks to codify federal protections for contraception.
Ernst’s legislation, the Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act, will increase the availability of birth control options on the market. The bill will also give women more access to over-the-counter contraception and prevent tax dollars from aiding to “destroy life” by funding abortion or abortion providers, according to bill text provided exclusively to the Washington Examiner.
“In the face of Democrats’ radical abortion on demand, I am proud to provide women greater access to safe and effective birth control,” Ernst said in an exclusive statement to the Washington Examiner. “My bill will increase over-the-counter contraception options while bringing much-needed transparency and accountability to ensure the government uses tax dollars to support families.”
The Senate is set to vote on the Right to Contraception Act, which has the backing of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), this week. Schumer noted in his support letter that June 24 will mark two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Ernst’s bill comes as Republicans look to distance themselves from recent rulings out of Alabama and Arizona that placed possible roadblocks to women’s reproductive health in terms of in-vitro fertilization and abortion, respectively.
After Alabama’s state Supreme Court ruled frozen embryos are legally children, many health systems and hospitals announced they would halt IVF procedures over fears of prosecution. The ruling created a political headache for Republicans in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned.
Democrats have since attacked Republicans in Congress for being anti-IVF and anti-abortion, comments which many GOP lawmakers have pushed back against and spurned legislative action in both chambers, such as Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s (R-FL) bill discouraging states from prohibiting IVF and Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Katie Britt’s (R-AL) bill that would cut off Medicaid funding to states banning IVF.
“Despite attacks from the same far left that promotes drugs that endanger women and encourages the death of the unborn, Republicans will always stand up for families and continue to protect life while supporting policies that equip women to raise children to live the American dream,” Ernst said.
A spokesperson from Ernst’s office told the Washington Examiner that the Iowa senator will be pushing for a floor vote this week on her new bill.
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Senators will vote on the Right to Contraception Act Wednesday, but the legislation is unlikely to garner the support of at least nine Republicans, which is needed to clear the chamber’s 60-vote threshold.
“Senate Democrats are committed to restoring women’s freedoms and will fight to protect access to contraception and other reproductive freedoms that are essential safeguards for millions of women to control their own lives, their futures, and their bodies,” Schumer said.