Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
House Votes To Protect Contraception Rights
The Hill: House Passes Bill To Protect Access To Contraceptives After Supreme Court Warning Shot
The House passed a bill on Thursday to safeguard access to contraceptives, less than a month after Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said the bench should overturn the landmark case protecting forms of birth control. The legislation, titled the Right to Contraception Act, passed in a 228-195 vote. Eight Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting the measure, and two Republicans voted present. (Schnell, 7/21)
AP: House OKs Bill To Protect Contraception From Supreme Court
The House’s 228-195 roll call was largely along party lines and sent the measure to the Senate, where its fate seemed uphill. The bill is the latest example of Democrats latching onto their own version of culture war battles to appeal to female, progressive and minority voters by casting the court and Republicans as extremists intent on obliterating rights taken for granted for years. Democrats said that with the high court recently overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision from 1973, the justices and GOP lawmakers are on track to go even further than banning abortions. (Fram, 7/21)
Vox: What To Know About Birth Control In Post-Roe America
In the weeks since the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, in which the court ruled there is no constitutional right to abortion, questions concerning access to contraceptives in the United States have proliferated. How does the ruling impact birth control? Do states have the power to limit access or ban specific types of contraceptives? As of mid-July, “things have not changed as of right now,” says Mara Gandal-Powers, the director of birth control access at the National Women’s Law Center. “Everyone still has the Constitutional right to birth control. Insurance coverage has not changed for birth control.” (Volpe, 7/20)
On the future of same-sex marriage —
The New York Times: Same-Sex Marriage Bill, Considered Dead On Arrival, Gains New Life
... But when the House called its vote this week on the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify federal protections for same-sex couples that were put in place in a 2015 ruling, 47 Republicans voted “yes.” That raised the possibility that there could be a narrow bipartisan path for the legislation to move ahead in the Senate and make its way to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. (Karni, 7/20)
Politico: GOP Freezes Up On Same-Sex Marriage
Mitt Romney doesn’t think it’s necessary. Richard Burr hasn’t read it. And Todd Young is “fixated” on microchips. Those are some of the answers Republicans gave Wednesday on whether they’d back legislation writing same-sex marriage into law. And though Democrats want assurances the bill could pass the Senate before taking it up, Chuck Schumer may have to take a gamble to find out if the landmark legislation has the GOP support necessary to clear a 60-vote threshold. (Everett, 7/20)
