Congressional attacks on reproductive rights have intensified in recent years, and opponents of choice continue to introduce legislation that would restrict access to safe abortion for low-income women and teens, promote political agendas over sound medical science, and interfere with the physician-patient relationship. Pro-choice advocates are also seeking new opportunities to expand access to abortion care and family planning services and to ensure that women receive comprehensive, medically accurate information.

Health Care Reform

Anti-choice Senators and Representatives have tried to use health care reform as a way to impose new, far-reaching abortion care coverage restrictions on women. In both the House of Representatives and the Senate, legislation creating significant barriers to insurance coverage has been adopted.

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Federal Refusal Clause

Modeled after legislation drafted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, this carefully constructed language is designed to limit women's access to abortion services, information, and referrals. More

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Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act

The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (CIANA) would prohibit anyone other than a parent from transporting a minor across state lines for an abortion if she has not already met her home state's parental involvement requirements. This legislation provides no exceptions for family members other than parents who want to help a minor woman. Trusted aunts, sisters, grandmothers, clergy, counselors, and friends could be federally prosecuted under this bill for helping a young woman who may be a victim of family abuse, rape, or incest. More

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Judicial Nominations

The lifetime appointment of federal judges can safeguard or jeopardize reproductive health care for generations to come. It is of paramount importance that the courts remain fair and independent avenues for assertion of all rights, including reproductive choice. More

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Women in the Military

Currently, American service women and military dependents are prohibited from obtaining safe abortion care at overseas military facilities, even if they pay for the procedure with their own money. Women in uniform deserve the same access to safe, legal reproductive health care as their civilian counterparts. More

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Rights for a Fetus

Anti-choice members of Congress have introduced bills to grant rights to a fetus in order to undermine women's access to abortion care.

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