-- -- las vegas first event ys he was convicted 34 counts of falsifying business records. 3:00 p.m. eastern on-sn.

the senate faid move forward legislation to establish federal protections fouse of contraceptives. coinciding with the two-year anversary of the supreme court decision dobbs we jackson and thral right to an abortion. 50 votes were needed to advance the measure. rakowski and collins were the only republicans to vote in favor. 's senate leader schumer switched his vote to bring up the bill again later. some look at the debate before the vote. >> i rise today in full support of the right to contraception act straightforward legislation that would protect individuals right to access contraception a and providers right to provide it. not expect anyone to take or provide contraception if they don't want to. would would ensure those who do can without the government getting in their way.

as republicans continue their assault our fundamental reproductive rights theo bill is critical to safeguard the right of all americans to access contraception. i look forward to seeing more about this important legislation later but first i'm glad to bey joined by many democratic colleagues coming to the floor to speak on the bill. they know how vital it is we protect the right to contraception starting with my partner on the bill senator markey. >> thank you madam president. thank you to the senator from hawaii and all senators who today to ensure people have access to contraception.

joined by senator smith from minnesota but by so many others out here because this friday, june 7 will be 39 years since there was a decision made in level v wade question before it was repealed 2022. from 1973 through 2022. and the supreme court, 59 years ago to this day, june 7 the supreme court recognized the griswold versus connecticut the right for americans to use contraception. just a few years later, in 1972

the supreme court expanded with their right to privacy means anything it is the right of the individual married or single to be free from unwarranted government intrusion into matters so fundamentally affecting as a decision whethero to bear or beget a child that was a supreme court 1972 and recognizing the fundamental rights to contraception the supreme court affirmedhe what we know the right to contraception is essential to americans health and freedom. this was a step towards freedom and decades of reproductive coercion rooted in the nation's7 history. in 1927 the supreme court had forced sterilization that steeped in enable is and tosterh

150,000 women. half were black teaching hospitals in new york and boston experimenting on black and puerto r rican women as practice for medical students. immigrant women in detention faced forced sterilization black and brown and immigrant and those is still face significant and sometimes insurmountable barriers to getting reproductive care. far right they would let this injustice grow deeper into the american soul. and when they place that on shaky ground and dobbs the supreme court majority overturned decades of precedent to strip away the constitutional

right to abortion. americans had less rights than they did on january 23rd, 2022. justice thomas distilled the threat to american freedom the long-held right wing reactionary belief that there were too many privacy rights under the constitution set the supreme court errored in recognizing those rights and the court the right to contraception justice thomas put that in his concurring opinion a preview of what he wanted the supreme court to take up emboldened by the supreme court, states across thi country have limited access to contraception texas republicans

guided emergency contraception idaho blocked health clinics from presiding contraception and republican governors are vetoing state efforts to protect thetote rights to contraception. it is not hypothetical. it is a real threat that requires a real response here on the senate floor. we must guide against efforts to oppress and suppress and repress reproductive freedoms for people and healthcare providers. that is why i proudly introduce the right to contraception act with my colleague the right to contraception act guarantees americans have the freedom to have contraception and for health providers to give it free

from federal and state government threats and to choose what contraception works best for them and their families it would provide clear safeguards for the rights the americans have relied upon for nearly 60 years keeping government intrusion what people make about their health moving toward reproductive justice and freedom for everyone in our country colleagues across the aisle are trying to argue this legislation restricts parental rights and religious liberties tt is completely untrue the only restrictions debated today are the ones that republicans and extreme is - - extremist want to place on contraception democrats are here to defend reproductive

freedom it is about ensuring liberty that comes with having full access to health care options today we have an opportunit to pass a historic piece of legislation and the right to contraception act and asks a simple question of each senator and american. do you support americans freedom to make their own decisions about their health social, economic freedom or not cracks which side of the question are you on? for many of my colleagues in the vast majority of the american people, that answer is easy and it should be. this has a firm the rights of every american and expanding access to healthcare battling

against racial segregation and protecting same-sex marriage and opportunity to show the american people that we will fight with them and for them for reproductive freedom. i urge my colleagues to join me in votingig yes to pass the rigt to contraception act vote yes that reproductive health and freedom and justice is the law of the land we cannot allow our country to go into the way back machine of 19652 before griswold was decided that is what maga right wing republicans want to happen in our country and it is absolutely unacceptable. today is the day of reckoning out here on the senate floor to

show which direction you believe we should be and for us to have this debate it will be very meaningful who side they are on in terms of their families and the decisions they have to make for themselves senator murray, a historic leader on all of these issues and i'm looking forward to the discussion and the debate. i yield back. >> madam president i rise today to join my colleagues to call for the passage of the right for

contraception i would like to start of course by thinking the senators for their work to preserves women and families like the planned pregnancy on their own terms be set free productive tools like contraception like sti prevention and fertility treatments are under immediate risk further reducing patients options on when and whether to start or grow their family. in arizona every republican of both legislative chambers blocked l gegislation blocking access to contraception in oklahoma we have seen the legislature advance legislation that could create a database of

women who obtained an abortion making iud and accessible and in tennessee house republicans voted down a bill in committee to make clear the states abortion ban would not jeopardize access to contraceptive care or fertility treatments and in short at every opportunity extreme maga republicans have not stopped the unconscionable campaign to chip away at a women's access to basic health care. according to 2022 data from the kaiser family foundation 92 percent female have used contraception.

90 percent if we would let those extremist have their way that would mean millions of women left without options and forced into u in situations we may not be prepared for. california has been a leader on the front line of reproductive payments.ingly you chose to amend the state constitution and to protect the right to abortion and contraception. this week i read attending from irvine college and together they serve as a health and safety ambassadors the nonprofit

dedicated to champion quality sexual and reproductive health care for all to me they say access to contraception is not just the health issue but a lifeline for autonomy and access to contraception is eating up the power to shape our destiny. when we have the tools to manage her health we can stay in school build families and contribute positively to our community the ability to get contraception enable lead healthier and more productive line -- -- lives and achieve her dreams about fostering personal responsibility instability and economic self-reliance. madam president when i came to this chamber i made t a promiseo

be urgent in my efforts to protect the rights of young people and those from the generation who are tired of being ignored and dismissed. we cannot fail them or let them down in this moment i am urging my colleagues to join in that the contraception does not go unchecked we must safeguard for the millions of girls and women and patients across the country. thank you had him president i yield the floor. >> i rise today to urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of the contraception act. at its the bill is based on a very simple value that every individual should have the right

tto make of their life, medical care, family, and bodies. passing this bill would not only protect the right to get birth control free from government interference to protect the core american values because if you don't control your reproductive life you don't control anything about your life. this is ae, bipartisan issue in the nation if not the chamberrt oover 80 percent of americans support access to birth control republicans. but despite this many republican colleagues will block the bill today. i wish i could say i was shocked but there is a direct line we can see between senate republicans and donald trump concerning trumps extremist anti-oe choice justices

overturning roe v wade. this is a plan and any error of chaos ushered in by the supreme court republicans refusal to protect access to birth control is another example of this reckless approach to women's health and every day we are confronted with the consequences and today 1 out of 3 women of childbearing age live in states with the trump republican abortion ban and we hear the stories of the impact of that on people's lives women trying to get reproductive health care and being turned away sometimes until the condition becomes life-threatening doctors to provide health care that they feel is best for the patients fp but they can't because of the fear of prosecution and it is clear the people responsible for understand and with

contraception care for a whole host of reasons including to treat like ovarian cancer■n and endometriosis and migraines and those that restrict access to birth control they harm people and families. that is why this is so important the right to contraception act is more than a right to make your own decisions whether and when and how to become apparent but protects your right to chart the course of your life. so when republicans vote no, they say they want to be in charge of your freedom and autonomy and personal dignity. you may be thinking why is this lot necessary cracks who is out

there who was actually trying to restrict access to contraception? the reality is this is happening. you can see in republican efforts to redefine contraception like iud or the morning after pill and o redefie that as abortion not only the expertise but political views with the efforts to defund planned parenthood and cut funding. title 10 is a bipartisan law signed by president nixon. it is the only program dedicated to provide comprehensive family-planning and preventative healthcare that helps lower income people afford wellness exams and cancer screenings and testing for std, hiv-aids and basic and fertility services. it is a godsend to over 2.5 million americans most

without any health insurance over the agetl of 30 we should t tear down but supported many of you know long before i came to this body i worked at planned parenthood and i was there and i saw every day what it means to get access to basic reproductive health care for people to live the lives that they choose and how much they depended donald trump created a healthcare crisis by banning abortion for 1 out of 3 women of childbearing age and if they are truly interested in helping women and families you would vote for this bill today. i am here to tell you actions speak louder than words it means you don't trust women to make our own decisions of our bodies

and healthy lives urge you to votes. yes. >> thank you met him president. i yield the floor. >> for years people recuse for being hysterical saying republicans would actually take away people's reproductive freedoms to be in a position to ban abortion with no exception is so outrageous and cruel that they would never go through with that but 2 years ago it finally happened. roe v wade fell and millions of women across america lost their right to reproductive freedom o overnightes. now once again people question if republicans will actually go through with what they want to do. it is to politically risky but the fact is republicans have

shown no restraint whatsoever overturning roe v wade would never be doesn't matter how outrageous it is or unpopular it is a 92 percent of americans support birth control. 's ability to plan whether and when to have kids. it is essential to the agenda aside from tax cuts for billionaires. until congress and shrines the right and federal law. it enshrines a light tool birth

control and doctors were simply doing their jobs it should not be controversial. what he went several are non- or religious or an atheist it is about the basic principle for people to stay -- -- decide what's best for themselves their bodies and families. over the past 2 years republican lawmakers and only 17 states arizona, louisiana have repeatedly killed efforts to protect access to legislation in states like missouri and idaho are pushing bills to block access to various forms of birth control including plan b and iud. also with the national contraception band so just in the future birth control is in serious jeopardy republicans

continue to work at the school they want fewer rights less autonomy and less freedom the only way to counter their crusade is to enshrine the right thing of the senate floor isool this this is a place you find out where people actually think there was on the low. interesting a lot of people were talking about what they think aboutn, contraception but in 2 hours we get to know what you think about contraception we get to know if you want to enshrine this right and federal statute or you don't that is the beauty of thiss place and the beauty of this bill at this time everyone will go on the record. i yield the floor.

>> madam president, thank you thank you to senator who don't know who is led this legislation along with senator markey every center will be confronted with a very simple question should americans have the right toto contraception, birth control, iud, plan b that should not be a hard question that in fact most americans thought this was settled 6 years ago the supreme court decided his wall versus connecticut and affirmed his right to privacy including the right to contraception and today the right to contraception is overwhelminglypu popular. the vast majority of american people, our constituents support thiste right. it should be an easy vote the bill should pass with flying colors. it almost should not be necessary and yet republicans have been making clear a bill

like this is not only necessary but urgent because not only has justice thomas signaled an interest in reconsidering griswold or senators said griswold was unfounded but there now with large gop support that would severely undercut the right to birth control like a life at conception act which is supported by more than half of the republicans in the house including the speakers. that gop bill would enshrine the truly extreme doctrine of fetal personhood nationwide that doesn't just ban abortion belt lot emergency contraception like plan b and outlaw iuds. don't take my word for it.

i chaired a health hearing yesterday on the damage the republican antiabortion attack over the past 2 years ands i asked the republicans directly do you view iud as■ abortion? the answer was yes be crystal clear. iuds and plan the do not cause an abortion. that level of disinformation is chilling and it cuts to the hear what many republicans really think about contraception. every time republicans tried tor birth control but what every republican pushing for fetal personhood? seriously? that they republicans succeed to make it the law of the land they already succeeded at the - - overturning movie wade so if republicans enact fetal personhood what happens to all the women with iuds clicks make no mistake that is not just a

provocative hypothetical if republicans actuallyption act ts a question millions of women have to grapple with. i don't expect an answer from republicans or to be as forthcoming when it comes to where they stand on the right to birth control. but we are b putting every singe senator on the record today when we vote on the right to contraception act it is straightforward and common sense as it sounds and codifies america's right to birth control in the law. that's it to take my word for it. read it. it is 11 pages. madam president it is a meaningful way to protect a fundamental right. bed it is right how each of us was will send a message so what

message to my republican colleagues want to send to the american people to our constituents that we support their right to birth control and support access to iud, plan b and we are okay taking that right away and let politicians make decisions from in this country? i know where i stand the overwhelming majority of people to support theajor right and soe will know exactly where it every republican. stands as well and whatever happens with this f d for, democrats will keep pushing full force to hold republicans accountable for their extreme policies with the harm they are causing and we will work to restore abortion rights in this country andlto protect women's reproductive rights across the board. thank you madam president. i yield the floor.

>> madam president i am here today with the same concern we have heard from my colleagues that this country is feeling women in new hampshire and across the country when it comes to protecting our fundamental freedoms like the right to contraception which we thought was safe jusa full access contraception was hahard-fought. since that was first recognized by the supreme court griswold versus connecticut to the affordable care actab expansionf coverage in 2010 requiring insurance companies to pay for it, there have been incremental but vital steps forward for women to determine our own reproductive futures. put us on a path to make sure our daughters and granddaughters have more fundamental rights, not fewer.

that this has been met with resistance and in the years act the attacks and contraception have been increase at the state and federal level and like many americans like those of us here today, i was very alarmed when i heard justice this what he wrote in his concurring opinion the supreme court dobbs ruling that the court should reconsider the ruling griswold versus connecticut should reconsider women's rights to access contraception. that is mys editorial analysis f what justice thomas was saying. then last month the former president donald trump implied

they should be allied to decide access to contraception setting a dangerous precedent to millions of women and families that rely on contraception we heard senator murray talk sobo eloquently how the laws are being interpreted to raise concerns about access to contraception and is said so well we've heard people suggest our concern about access to contraception is a b scare tactc but for all of us who worked for years trying to protect roe v wade and the right for women to make her own health care decisions we heard the same argument on the rule v wade decision the supreme court will never overturn the bed's federal law but we saw what happened with the dobbs decision and these threats are felt acutely in my home state of new

hampshire were critical family-planning providers cannot make ends meet because elected officials continue to block federal and state funding vital to ensuring they have access to reproductive care. that doesn't just encompass contraception services all that's critically important but also basic reproductive education including breast cancer screening and std screening and treatment and by turning up roadblock after roadblock, maga are showing that you care about women's health or personal freedom they are taking us backwards when women want and deserve to go forward. please flow a concerning pattern that women's rights are negotiable and that they can t our freedoms to decide her own futures are not

valued so to address the women and felt families on the front lines of the onslaught let me just say i understand the anxiety, the fear and hopelessness who comes from watching your rights be stripped away the recent new hampshire university graduate she wrote so powerfully about the positive expansion with her family planning provider in new hampshire "without access to birth control decisions about my future would always have an element of uncertainty lingering. but knowing she had access to a fa p decisions and have control over her own future into the women of new hampshire that have written me to say for example i'm

worried about which life would be taken away or i feel women don't have equal rights and how did it come toav i this? to the women not ready to start a family and those who wjdas jut the right size and r all the yog women like my granddaughters who have fewer freedoms now than their mothers did at theirhe e age, ict right here you and i feel that pain. as we vote today history is watching us cancer back and watch because contraception is a fundamental right and no 1, not a sitting supreme court justice( not the governor or member of congress should be allowed to decide whether or not a woman chooses to use contraception and determine her own future. that is highly important and deeply personal decision belongs

to the woman and her family and the women alone and with that i yield the floor. >> madam president, we are living through a new spirit in the fight for reproductive freedom. this month marks 2 years since the extreme conservative majority on the supreme court struck roe v wade. this decision which was enabled by donald trump and my republican colleagues has been an absolute disaster for our country republican lawmakers have stripped abortion access from millions of women have made clear they will stop until they get a national abortion be in. and this is all part of the extreme agenda that will go even

further. admission to take away basic freedoms for women all across the country. we have to step up and protect reproductive health now. contraception could be the next frontier in that fight. republican governors of virginia and nevada vetoed bills to protect access to birth control and the arizona legislature has blocked similar legislation that fight proud to be a cosponsor of the right to contraception act. this is simple that guarantees every single american right to access contraception and ensure professionals can provide it without interference from extreme republican politicians. birthf control is a killer of reproductive health care safe and effective to give control over when they want to start a

family with other hoping to prevent certain kinds of cancer. and access to birth control is linked to educational outcomes or professional opportunities and higher lifetime earnings. and with an overwhelming bipartisan support. 90 percent of americans believe that everyone should be able to access the contraceptives they need. taking dangerous bands on birth control disproportionately with the most vulnerable communities. and those assessing and

affording contraception. every person should receive this essential care and havere freedm ofqb plan on their future no matter how they see fit. i will do my colleagues to vote in favor of the right to away freedoms from women everywhere and wendy to stop them from turning back the clock. or to expand access a to all health services and that means abortion, contraception gender affirming care and starting a family is 1 of the most important and clearly decisionsn can make. a person should be nowherera ner it is guarantee they have the reproductive freedom that they

deserve. i yield. 's. >> i rise in a very serious moment i want to think all of our colleagues for joining together not only speaking out but standing up for women across the country for everyone who wants the capacity with their own personal decisions. and then we know for 50 years

roe v wade protected our freedom to make her own health care decisions because of a new supreme court majority appointed by donald trump, gone. i cannot believe that women today, my daughter, my granddaughtersay as she grows up have fewer freedoms than i did. 21 states now have a near total ban 1 out of 3 now live under t bands.nd dangerous abortion donald trump and maga republicans i was probably the person responsible and putting the lives of millions of women at risk taking freedom away■- ad

first a nationwide ban. all of michigan's hard work the election to protect freedoms with the michigan constitution we passed 2 years ago. none of that will matter and we cannot let that happen. republicans have indicated they want to go even farther. with the reproductive freedoms. republicans acrossry the country with access to contraception. never thought i would floor tag about the effor for any

person's right to make their own decision tthe family with contraception right now in states like vi virginia, nevada, arizona, repus are working to block protections for birth control right now. justice thomas has been quoted on the floor today calling on the supreme court to reconsider the constitutional freedom to access contraception in america. and let's be clear birth control is a key part of women's health care. it is important for reproductive decisions, treating medical conditions, decreasing the risk of cancer and most

importantly, it is a personal decision americans don't want politicians or judges in their doctor's office or medicine cabinet were in the bedroom. they want to make their own decisions and they have every right in america to make their own decisions about their health care in the future and it is as basic as it gets in america. we talk about the freedoms we have in thisa. was pretty basic to make your own decisions and healthcare for we are here on the floor democrats could not agree more this is absolutely fundamental and that is why we need to pass the right to contraception act now. everybody on the floor will have

a chancevé to vote to do that ae not. this critical legislation will guarantee the right to for contraception and decided by the supreme court nearly 60 years ago. we cannot let republicans turned back the clock we need to defend america's freedom to make decisions about her own health care, lives and futures at of ta basic part of that for us and that is why we are here. reproductive freedom is something we should all embrace hope colleagues will join us moving forward on this essential legislation.

to yield the floor. >> i rise in the right of contraception act. thank you to the senators for their leadership on this bill. we are at a pivotal moment for women's rights in this country this marks 2 years since the supreme court issued a ruling shredding half a century of precedent with right and this was against the wishes between 70 and 80 percent of americans that believe most personal decisions of her healthcare should be made not by a politician but by a woman, her doctor and family. in the wake of this disastrous ruling at the mercy of creating

chaos when it comes to accessing reproductive health care. since the dobbs decision came d to be in undermine ivf even criminalize doctors to introduce those that are doing their job 21 states fully or partially abandoned understand abortion and those patients traveling to other states for abortion care has skyrocketed 1 out of 5. this is unacceptable my daughter should not have less rights than her mother or grandmother. what is next? work to do that we have something else we have to watch out for is that political leaders have called for restrictions

and in the concurring opinion in the dobbs case justice thomas laid out a roadmap for how thern court could over to turn week -- -- contraception and reconsider if it protects the right to access contraception this friday marks 59 years, 59 years since the supreme court with the current court has made it cl overturn decades of precedent. the threat is not hypothetical in the week of the dobbs decision 21 in american are in contraception deserts where they struggle to access birth control. north texas there are no health

centers in the surrounding counties to talk to a doctor about birth control to travel more than 400 miles or 7 hours were in arizona the nearby health center is so far they haveon to request an appointmen3 weeks in advance and then in ohio access to a clinic but to take time off of work to your appointment something she cannot do. the state level efforts with the right to contraception bills is making the problem worse. there is the republican controlled with the right of contraception act and attempt to cut out contraception site plan b and iud of 14 states including

my home state of minnesota protects the right to contraception, that is simply not enough we cannot be where women in minnesota have more rights than those in missouri. it is clear we must exclusively protect the right tote contraception. they agree rect data may show that 90 percent of americans promote access to contraception that's why we call on the colleagues for the right to contraception act. is hardly radical insurers women are in the drivers seat outlined by theco supreme court the same

right justice thomas and others want to strip away specifically the bill safeguards a patient's ability to seekk contraception and healthcare ability to provide these critical services.z and because the right to contraception cannot be an empty promise a gives the justice department patients the power to make clear that no 1 can infringe the right to contraception. i will note that 2 years ago on a bipartisan basis and it is etime for the body to do the same. for the last 2 years women in this country has faced an uncertain future. these attacks on reproductive freedom on health care have no place in america. women are not second-class citizens. the bill we are considering today represents a better path forward and a better future.

the question we must answer is the supreme court has created a patchwork of laws that has allowed some states to try to criminalize doctors as allowed states to ban and a drug that has found been found saved in dozens and dozens of countries. we have to decide we have an opportunity today to make clear where we stand as a nation i call on my colleagues to■ do for the american people overwhelmingly support passing the bill into law. i yield. >> i join my colleagues out here on the floor thank you to the senator from minnesota for her unbelievable advocacy on behalf ofe women's and for the constant

leadership on this issue and i'm glad to be joined with my colleagues fromm hawaii who also has been such a great leader both serving on the judiciary committee the front line to make sure women's rights are protected. thank you so much most americans alive don't remembere time they do not have the freedom to use birth we hear a lot about family planning but what is family planning without access to contraception?t rememe they don't have the freedom at idaho recently banning abortion now the colleges have banned staff from even speaking to students about contraception. imagine college students in the dark something as basic as a healthcare service we heard from the ob/gyn doctor from idaho who moved away from their state

after the reproductive care law like so many other physicians have done and other states. and 1 thing that stuck she said the anti- choice act stood out to her because they told her they are not done. after texas b and abortion and say women should just use emergency contraception but texas already stopped covering emergency contraception under the state family planning law. madam president when they say they are not done i believe them. and i were the abortion ban is blocked for now but the state attorney general. the family programs for victims and reimbursements have been delayed i believe them when they say they are not done.

in arizona where abortion rights have been and legal chaosu= dueo the practical civil warsl era began they blocked a vote to protect the right to access contraception. in virginia people still have abortion rights but the governor ose to veto a bill to expand birth control access just hours before the deadline so they are not done in florida the total abortion ban went into effect while they created a crisis llpregnancy center authority a fivefold funding increase they pretend to be real clinics while spreading misinformation about the cost of care including contraception accrues the con country organizations push false

claim of contraception and basically even saying birth control should be illegal. they are not done and that is why we are here today the supreme court took away our constitutional right to abortion and even 1 justice said they are not done. the point is a woman is not even sure if she can depend on ivf to start a family people need to know where this institution stands on the reproductive rights of women family planning giving access to contraception. today abortion and contraception are protected by law but this bill is important in myy state t affects delivery of care system

the university of washington just this week shows 50 percent increase of out-of-state patients the dobbs decision the study also found if you think about it with a 50 percent increase of out-of-state patients you have seen more patience what is that affected found patients are getting abortion 1 week later than they were before the dobbs decision which dangerous on the healthcare delivery side. washington saw the largest increase the patient's from band abortion states like texas in florida. now imagine if they carry this further.

glad to be a co-sponsor of the rights reception at and i forward to be the butter on this position and i urge my colleagues to do the same. it just seems like not that long ago when their country recognized in connecticut versus griswold that we had him when we have been talking about it for the last many years now really

as so many came before congress to be a nominee for judicial branch they havebr all said this is settled law in connecticut versus griswold. why connecticut griswold was the basis of the decision based on contraception they gave you this right to privacy. andri now all of a sudden not te court, it's amazing that when you d think about the time befoe that people didn't have access to contraception it became a day-to-day part of ourur lives. if it's such ahe day-to-day part of their lives in the delivery of health care and we should have the coura t and vote this way today. if people don't it's because they aren't done and they don't want to protect this and i guarantee you families deserve the privacy of knowing when and

how they want to start their families. i ask my colleagues to support this legislation and support our health care system that has been working very well with the support of contraception. i think the president and i yield the floor.■8 >> madam president. said the senator from oia. >> better president want to thank all of my colleagues he came to the floor of the senate yesterday and today with the serious urgency of now to urge passage of the right to contraception act. this month marks almost two years since the supreme court disasters dobbs decision resultingci in women and half te country have fewer rights than women in the other half of the country. what kind of the country is that?

i thought this was a country founded on equal protection and equal rights. not according to the supreme court. dobbs wreaked i chaos in it's on right overturning roe v. wade and eliminating a constitutional right that i had for almost 50 years. but it's also foretold more chaos to come. in his concurrence in the dobbs case justice thomas specifically called for reconsidering griswold v.cu connecticut, the 1965 case protecting the right tont contraception. when a supreme court justice said he wants to reconsider a case that is a signal that he wants to overturn it. it's bad enough that they overturned roe v. wade, 50 years of the constitutional protection and now they want tob overturn griswold.

thatt is at 59 your precedent protecting our right to contraception.we we have what i have described as an out of control supreme court majority that has no problem overturning decades here, there and just about everywhere based on their ideological agenda. justice alito meanwhile respects his wife's right to make her o decisions but he has no problem telling millions of womethe rest of w us what to do with our just think about it. do you see the irony of it and do you see the hot pockets he of th both of those justices and i'm talking talking aboutnd justice alito and thomas said

the comstock act to civil law arrow law, civil law. it could be used to restrict access to reproductive care nationwide. this crusade against reproductive rights by these justices and the rest of their cohorts really is a republican obsession with power and control of a woman's body. as they work toward a national abortion ban republicans and their allies on the supreme court have given us every reason to believe contraception is also on their hit list. republicans state across the country have already dropped a rollback access to contraception he occurred for my colleagues

virginia's governor veto a right to contraception bill just last month. earlier this year arizona republicans ride a similar bill in their state. okho bill that could ban access to iuds and emergency contraception. the list goes on. they are very specific aut conte have access to. this whole desire, i really can't figure out on the part of the maga republicans and their support of the supreme court which really comes down=0 to por and control over women's bodies. that's what it is. madam president contraception is health care, essential health care that millions of people across the country rely on. not only to decide if and when to become pregnant but also to

treat medical conditions regulate hormonal levels and more and that's why the vast majority of americans support the right to contraception. madam president the current assault on a woman's right is but it's not new. our country has a long and dark history of exerting control over women. much of our countries history women were denied the rightri to vote, a fundamental right to vote. they didn't have a right to own property. they couldn't open a bank account. the list goes on. women of color face forced sterilization and contraception. that's the dark history in our country of controlling women and their bodies. these attacks on women and their freedoms were wrong then and you would think by now we would have

learned a thing or two about the rights but but this maga majoriy supreme court. they ride to control ones own body free from government interference is as fundamental as it gets. that is why it's critical that the senate passed the right to contraception act. our bill is simple. it would protect an individual's right to access contraception and the provider's right to provide it. you wouldn't force anyone toke o want to but it would ensure that those who do way. it would ensure people get access to health care they need and birth control pills, emergency contraception like pla b and especially for women of color, women with

disabilities and those in amenities to access this kind of care. they faced increased failure to access contraception. this bill shouldn't be controversial republicans have become so upset with controlling women's bodies that they refuse to protect even t mt basic freedoms. to my republican colleagues i ask, what's this obsession with power and control over women's bodies? democrats know women politicians should be the ones making decisions about our bodies and our health care. and we are doing everything we can to protect and strengthen the reproductive rights of all americans including the right to contraception. going to vote ons bill today and i urge all of my

colleagues with the fierce urgencyur of now to stop taking away ever more rights of women in this country and women and others in this country and vote for themselves. thank you madam president. i yield back. >> madam president. >> the senator from nevada. >> madam president by imploring senators markey hirono duckworth and all of my colleagues today to support the right to contraception act.■h this month marks the second anniversary of the supreme court decision overturning roe v. wade which up-ended woman's right to choose and pave the way form former president trump and antichoice politicians to further erode women's rights in this country. we knew these antichoice republicans wouldn't stop attacking reproductive rights

after [roll call] fell. we knew they would keep trying to diminish their freedom to makeecisions about our own bodies including the righto to obtain and use birth control. you don't have to take my word for it. look what's happening in states across the country as you heard my colleagues. even though the right to birth control has strong bipartisan support antichoice lawmakers are passing bills left and right to chip away at access to contraception. and listen to the leader of the republican just two weeks ago former president trump said he h was on to restricting women's right to contraception if he wins another term. for the antichoice right, this is about controlling women. on the other hand my fellow ch reproductive freedom. we are working every protect access to basic birth control and other forms of women's health care and making progress. last year the food and drug

administration approved the first ever over-the-counter birth control pill and once it was approved senators murray hirono and dialogue with others push the manufactures to make sure it was widely accessible without a prescription but it's nowil available on line and in stores across the country. we are not alone in this fight. the biden/harris administration hasdm worked hard to expand accs to contraception make it more affordable for american women. we have made important progress that we have seen the antichoice movement won't stop coming after our reproductive a rights. that's why we have toon act and protect access to birth control in every state across our country. we know despite this on the separate from antichoice politicians to label it as dangerous it's an essential part of health care information contraception is about my health

care as it is for millions of women in america. i will tell you what to my female colleagues here is the man were able to give birth we would have universal health care by now. they don't feel it and they don't see it so they disregard it and they get the impact women and the essential care that we need when it comes to our bob health. that's why this legislation is so important and worth protectda the fundamental right to access health care and it would empower women in nevada and across the country to make decisions about their own lives on their own terms and it would make it clear to anti-choice candidates like donald trump and his antichoice followers that messing with the right to contraception is not on the table. my colleagues here and i will

never stop fighting to reinstate the right to antichoice politicians have stripped away for mons of women and we will fiercely defend the rights of women still have including access to birth control. that's why we are here■n today. i get asked quite often what are you doing about it? there's a role for congress to play but there is a role for every one who cares about this issue no matter your station in life, to do something about it to be a part of a solution for policy change in your state and your local community. there is aole for everybody and their responsibility. this is about women's rights and with them -- women's freedoms in this country and that's worth fighting for. thank you. madam president i yield the floor