For Immediate Release: June 21, 2023
Contact: Audrey Sandusky, asandusky@nfprha.org 

Right to Contraception Blocked in Senate 

Washington, DC -- Today, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) requested unanimous consent for the Senate to pass the Right to Contraception Act, landmark legislation that would codify the right of individuals to receive contraceptive care and of health care professionals to provide it. Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) objected to the request, and the bill did not move forward. The following is a statement from Clare Coleman, President & CEO, of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA). 

“With access to birth control and the constitutional right to privacy under increased threat, it is shameful that opponents have blocked action today to pass the Right to Contraception Act, a bill to enshrine the right to contraception into federal law and safeguard access to birth control across the country. NFPRHA strongly supports this key piece of legislation and is grateful for Senators Markey, Hirono, and Duckworth and Representatives Manning, Jacobs, Williams, and Craig for their leadership on this issue. We will not be deterred by efforts to block this legislation and other key bills that would expand access to reproductive health care. We will remain steadfast in our efforts to advocate for policies like the Right to Contraception Act that expand access to care for anyone who needs it.” 

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NFPRHA is a membership organization representing publicly funded family planning providers and administrators nationwide. NFPRHA advances and elevates the importance of family planning in the nation’s health care system and promotes and supports the work of family planning providers and administrators, especially those in the safety net. For more information, visit nationalfamilyplanning.org.