Lower chamber of US Congress passes bill ensuring contraception rights

The bill protecting the right to birth control passed by 228 votes to 195 in the House of Representatives, but observers say it is likely to fail in the Senate.

World

2 min read

The New Arab Staff & Agencies

22 July, 2022

Democratic lawmakers are concerned to protect the right to birth control after the Supreme Court overturned a landmark ruling on abortion in June [Getty]

The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill ensuring access to birth control nationwide, a month after the Supreme Court struck down federal abortion rights.

The legislation, which spells out the right to purchase and use contraceptive devices, as well as for healthcare professionals to prescribe them, was supported by all the chamber's Democratic lawmakers plus eight Republicans, with 195 of their colleagues voting against.

Today the House voted on a bill to protect access to contraception.

Almost entirely thanks to Democrats, it passed. 194 House Republicans opposed it.

It’s 2022. How are they opposed to access to birth control? pic.twitter.com/hAmgJaBCtR
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 22, 2022

However, the measure was likely to stall in the Senate, divided 50-50, where at least 60 votes are needed for most legislation to pass.

The bill was introduced shortly after the conservative-dominated Supreme Court erased nearly 50 years of abortion rights by overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling on June 24.

The decision prompted fears that the high court would then go after other progressive gains, such as the right to contraception, after Chief Justice Clarence Thomas signalled in a written opinion that the court should apply the same logic "in future cases."

The past week:
- 209 House Republicans vote against abortion rights
- 205 House Republicans vote against protecting interstate travel for reproductive care
- 195 House Republicans vote against protecting contraception access
- 157 House Republicans vote against marriage equality
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) July 21, 2022

Even if the view does not seem to be shared by a majority of Supreme Court justices, the possibility has been met with anxiety among Democrats and women's rights activists.

Gearing up for crucial midterm elections in November, the Democratic-led House passed two bills last week guaranteeing the right to abortion and same-sex marriage. But both are unlikely to pass the Senate.