July 20, 2022
Dear Senators and Members of Congress,
Independent Women’s Voice (IWV) fights for women and their loved ones by expanding support among women, independents, and millennials for policy solutions that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedom, opportunities, and well-being. On behalf of IWV, we urge you to reject H.R. 8373, the Right to Contraception Act.
If this legislation were truly about expanding access to contraception, we would support it, as would most Americans, including Republican voters and political leaders. However, this legislation isn’t intended to be good policy. It is a political stunt meant to manipulate and scare women while providing cover for unpopular and unrelated left-wing policy projects.
Among other things, this extreme bill could require doctors to sterilize minors, without parental knowledge or consent, and without a federal waiting period, simply because the minor believed that was what he or she wanted. Importantly, it also fails to make a needed change that actually would increase access to contraception — and that is make oral contraceptives (birth control pills) available over the counter. While the final decision about which drugs are available over the counter belongs with the FDA, in recent years, GOP lawmakers have pushed for making birth control pills available without a prescription to individuals aged 18 and older and have introduced legislation that would fast-track this process.
Contraception should be legal and widely accessible. Freeing birth control from excessive regulation would ultimately remove the barrier between women and birth control at the pharmacy counter, giving women more control over their own healthcare decisions.
Regrettably, many on the Left continue to peddle the false narrative that Republicans are working to restrict access to contraceptives. This is all in an effort to distract from decades-high inflation, shortages, a broken border and failing public schools. Americans deserve better.
We strongly urge all senators and members of Congress to reject the Right to Contraception Act–more accurately titled the Stealth Sterilization of Minors Act–and instead focus on enabling women to access contraceptives over the counter.
Respectfully,
Hadley Heath Manning
Vice President for Policy
Independent Women’s Voice