WASHINGTON (Nexstar) — Now that states are legally able to ban abortion, Democratic lawmakers are turning their attention to protecting access to birth control nationwide.
Democrats say that Republican state legislatures won’t stop with banning abortion, which is why state representatives Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) introduced a bill to ensure access to contraception nationwide.
“I’m not confident that women are going to be able to get the services, the family planning services and the contraceptive services that they need,” Thompson said. “So we’re talking about IUDs, condoms, emergency contraception.”
The bill would prohibit state and local governments from taking any action to deny access to contraceptives, including through Medicaid programs.
Last year, Republicans in Missouri tried to block their state Medicaid program from covering certain forms of contraception. They are poised to try again this year.
Democrats say blocking contraceptives from Medicaid programs is effectively a ban for low-income women who rely on the program.
State bans on abortion from the moment of conception will also result in defacto bans on some forms of contraception. That’s why Thompson is urging Congress to take immediate action to “ensure this bill is passed into law as soon as possible.”
