Sen. Booker Introduces Legislation to Protect Women’s Access to Birth Control

WASHINGTON, D.C. — May 19, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Access to Birth Control (ABC) Act, legislation to ensure that any woman with a valid prescription is not denied or intimidated when requesting birth control or emergency contraception at pharmacies.
“Sadly, in some states individual pharmacists are putting their personal views before their professional obligation, and are choosing to deny women access to birth control,” Sen. Booker said. “The Access to Birth Control Act ensures that a woman’s family planning decisions are the business of a woman, her family, and her doctor. I will remain a vocal advocate for women’s rights and fight to ensure we are doing everything possible to guarantee women in New Jersey and across the country have timely, unhindered access to contraception.”
“Decisions about birth control should be between a woman and her doctor, not her pharmacist, her boss, or her Congressman. Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading provider of reproductive heath, applauds Senator Booker for introducing this important legislation that protects women’s access to basic, preventive health care and ensures that women will not be denied birth control or emergency contraception at the pharmacy counter,” Dana Singiser, Vice President for Public Policy and Government Affairs for Planned Parenthood Federation of America said.
The Access to Birth Control Act ensures women’s timely access to reproductive health care. It requires pharmacies to help a woman obtain her prescribed type of contraceptive. If the requested product is not in stock, it requires a pharmacy to order the prescription, refer the woman to another pharmacy, or return the prescription – whichever scenario the woman chooses.
The Access to Birth Control Act is cosponsored by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senator Al Franken (D-MN), Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senator Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR).
Supporters of the Access to Birth Control Act include:
Advocates for Youth, American Association of University Women, The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Catholics for Choice, Center for Reproductive Rights, Disciples for Choice, Disciples Justice Action Network, Feminist Majority Foundation, Institute for Science and Human Values, Jewish Women International, NARAL Pro-Choice America, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, The National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Council of Jewish Women, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, National Organization for Women, National Women’s Health Network, National Women’s Law Center, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Population Connection Action Fund, Population Institute, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Reproductive Health Technologies Project, Sexuality Information and the Education Council of the United States, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation.