| 1 | 1 | | I |
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| 2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1 |
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| 4 | 4 | | STSESSION H. R. 999 |
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| 5 | 5 | | To protect an individual’s ability to access contraceptives and to engage |
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| 6 | 6 | | in contraception and to protect a health care providers ability to provide |
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| 7 | 7 | | contraceptives, contraception, and information related to contraception. |
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| 8 | 8 | | IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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| 9 | 9 | | FEBRUARY5, 2025 |
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| 10 | 10 | | Mrs. F |
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| 11 | 11 | | LETCHER(for herself, Ms. WILLIAMSof Georgia, Ms. CRAIG, Ms. JA- |
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| 12 | 12 | | COBS, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. AGUILAR, Mr. AMO, Ms. ANSARI, Mr. |
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| 13 | 13 | | A |
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| 14 | 14 | | UCHINCLOSS, Ms. BALINT, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BELL, |
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| 15 | 15 | | Mr. B |
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| 16 | 16 | | ERA, Mr. BEYER, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. BOYLEof Pennsylvania, Ms. |
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| 17 | 17 | | B |
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| 18 | 18 | | ROWN, Ms. BROWNLEY, Ms. BUDZINSKI, Ms. BYNUM, Mr. CARBAJAL, |
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| 19 | 19 | | Mr. C |
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| 20 | 20 | | ARSON, Mr. CARTERof Louisiana, Mr. CASAR, Mr. CASE, Mr. |
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| 21 | 21 | | C |
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| 22 | 22 | | ASTEN, Ms. CASTORof Florida, Mr. CASTROof Texas, Mrs. |
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| 23 | 23 | | C |
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| 24 | 24 | | HERFILUS-MCCORMICK, Ms. CHU, Mr. CISNEROS, Ms. CLARKof Massa- |
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| 25 | 25 | | chusetts, Ms. C |
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| 26 | 26 | | LARKEof New York, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. |
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| 27 | 27 | | C |
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| 28 | 28 | | OHEN, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. CORREA, Mr. COSTA, Ms. |
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| 29 | 29 | | C |
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| 30 | 30 | | ROCKETT, Mr. CROW, Ms. DAVIDSof Kansas, Mr. DAVISof Illinois, Ms. |
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| 31 | 31 | | D |
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| 32 | 32 | | EANof Pennsylvania, Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. DELAURO, Ms. DELBENE, |
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| 33 | 33 | | Mr. D |
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| 34 | 34 | | ELUZIO, Mr. DESAULNIER, Ms. DEXTER, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. DOG- |
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| 35 | 35 | | GETT, Ms. ELFRETH, Ms. ESCOBAR, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. EVANSof |
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| 36 | 36 | | Pennsylvania, Mr. F |
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| 37 | 37 | | OSTER, Mrs. FOUSHEE, Mr. FIGURES, Ms. LOIS |
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| 38 | 38 | | F |
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| 39 | 39 | | RANKELof Florida, Ms. FRIEDMAN, Mr. FROST, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. |
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| 40 | 40 | | G |
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| 41 | 41 | | ARCIAof California, Ms. GARCIAof Texas, Mr. GARCI´Aof Illinois, Ms. |
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| 42 | 42 | | G |
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| 43 | 43 | | ILLEN, Ms. PEREZ, Mr. GOLDENof Maine, Mr. GOLDMANof New York, |
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| 44 | 44 | | Mr. G |
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| 45 | 45 | | OMEZ, Ms. GOODLANDER, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Mr. GREENof Texas, |
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| 46 | 46 | | Mrs. H |
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| 47 | 47 | | AYES, Mr. HIMES, Mr. HORSFORD, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. HOYER, |
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| 48 | 48 | | Ms. H |
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| 49 | 49 | | OYLEof Oregon, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. IVEY, Ms. JAYAPAL, Ms. |
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| 50 | 50 | | J |
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| 51 | 51 | | OHNSONof Texas, Mr. JOHNSONof Georgia, Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE, Ms. |
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| 52 | 52 | | K |
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| 53 | 53 | | APTUR, Mr. KEATING, Ms. KELLYof Illinois, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, |
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| 54 | 54 | | Mr. L |
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| 55 | 55 | | ANDSMAN, Mr. LARSONof Connecticut, Mr. LARSENof Wash- |
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| 56 | 56 | | ington, Mr. L |
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| 57 | 57 | | ATIMER, Ms. LEEof Pennsylvania, Ms. LEEof Nevada, Ms. |
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| 58 | 58 | | L |
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| 59 | 59 | | EGERFERNANDEZ, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. LICCARDO, Mr. LIEU, Mr. MAG- |
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| 60 | 60 | | AZINER, Mr. MANNION, Ms. MATSUI, Mrs. MCBATH, Ms. MCBRIDE, Mrs. |
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| 61 | 61 | | M |
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| 62 | 62 | | CCLAINDELANEY, Ms. MCCLELLAN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Ms. MCDONALD |
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| 63 | 63 | | R |
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| 64 | 64 | | IVET, Mr. MCGARVEY, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. MCIVER, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. |
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| 65 | 65 | | M |
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| 66 | 66 | | ENENDEZ, Ms. MENG, Mr. MFUME, Mr. MIN, Ms. MOOREof Wisconsin, |
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| 67 | 67 | | Mr. M |
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| 68 | 68 | | ORELLE, Ms. MORRISON, Mr. MOSKOWITZ, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. |
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| 69 | 69 | | M |
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| 70 | 70 | | RVAN, Mr. MULLIN, Mr. NADLER, Mr. NEAL, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. NOR- |
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| 71 | 71 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:32 Apr 09, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H999.IH H999 |
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| 72 | 72 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 2 |
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| 73 | 73 | | •HR 999 IH |
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| 74 | 74 | | CROSS, Ms. NORTON, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Mr. OLSZEWSKI, Ms. OMAR, |
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| 75 | 75 | | Mr. P |
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| 76 | 76 | | ALLONE, Mr. PANETTA, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. PETERS, Ms. |
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| 77 | 77 | | P |
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| 78 | 78 | | ETTERSEN, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. PLASKETT, Mr. POCAN, Ms. POU, Ms. |
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| 79 | 79 | | P |
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| 80 | 80 | | RESSLEY, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mrs. RAMIREZ, Ms. RANDALL, Mr. RASKIN, |
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| 81 | 81 | | Ms. R |
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| 82 | 82 | | IVAS, Ms. ROSS, Mr. RUIZ, Mr. RYAN, Ms. SALINAS, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, |
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| 83 | 83 | | Ms. S |
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| 84 | 84 | | CANLON, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Ms. SCHOLTEN, Ms. |
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| 85 | 85 | | S |
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| 86 | 86 | | CHRIER, Mr. SCOTTof Virginia, Mr. DAVIDSCOTTof Georgia, Ms. SE- |
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| 87 | 87 | | WELL, Mr. SHERMAN, Ms. SHERRILL, Ms. SIMON, Mr. SMITHof Wash- |
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| 88 | 88 | | ington, Mr. S |
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| 89 | 89 | | ORENSEN, Mr. SOTO, Ms. STANSBURY, Mr. STANTON, Ms. |
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| 90 | 90 | | S |
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| 91 | 91 | | TEVENS, Ms. STRICKLAND, Mr. SUBRAMANYAM, Mr. SWALWELL, Mrs. |
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| 92 | 92 | | S |
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| 93 | 93 | | YKES, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. THANEDAR, Mr. THOMPSONof California, Mr. |
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| 94 | 94 | | T |
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| 95 | 95 | | HOMPSONof Mississippi, Ms. TITUS, Ms. TLAIB, Ms. TOKUDA, Mr. |
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| 96 | 96 | | T |
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| 97 | 97 | | ONKO, Mrs. TORRESof California, Mr. TORRESof New York, Mrs. |
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| 98 | 98 | | T |
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| 99 | 99 | | RAHAN, Mr. TRAN, Mr. TURNERof Texas, Ms. UNDERWOOD, Mr. |
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| 100 | 100 | | V |
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| 101 | 101 | | ARGAS, Mr. VASQUEZ, Mr. VEASEY, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. VINDMAN, |
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| 102 | 102 | | Ms. W |
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| 103 | 103 | | ASSERMANSCHULTZ, Ms. WATERS, Mrs. WATSONCOLEMAN, Ms. |
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| 104 | 104 | | W |
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| 105 | 105 | | ILSONof Florida, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. KENNEDYof New |
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| 106 | 106 | | York, and Ms. L |
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| 107 | 107 | | OFGREN) introduced the following bill; which was re- |
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| 108 | 108 | | ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce |
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| 109 | 109 | | A BILL |
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| 110 | 110 | | To protect an individual’s ability to access contraceptives |
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| 111 | 111 | | and to engage in contraception and to protect a health |
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| 112 | 112 | | care providers ability to provide contraceptives, contra- |
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| 113 | 113 | | ception, and information related to contraception. |
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| 114 | 114 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 |
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| 115 | 115 | | tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 |
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| 116 | 116 | | SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 |
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| 117 | 117 | | This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Right to Contraception 4 |
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| 118 | 118 | | Act’’. 5 |
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| 119 | 119 | | SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 6 |
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| 120 | 120 | | In this Act: 7 |
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| 121 | 121 | | (1) C |
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| 122 | 122 | | ONTRACEPTION.—The term ‘‘contracep-8 |
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| 123 | 123 | | tion’’ means an action taken to prevent pregnancy, 9 |
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| 126 | 126 | | •HR 999 IH |
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| 127 | 127 | | including the use of contraceptives or fertility-aware-1 |
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| 128 | 128 | | ness-based methods and sterilization procedures. 2 |
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| 129 | 129 | | (2) C |
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| 130 | 130 | | ONTRACEPTIVE.—The term ‘‘contracep-3 |
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| 131 | 131 | | tive’’ means any drug, device, or biological product 4 |
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| 132 | 132 | | intended for use in the prevention of pregnancy, 5 |
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| 133 | 133 | | whether specifically intended to prevent pregnancy 6 |
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| 134 | 134 | | or for other health needs, that is approved, cleared, 7 |
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| 135 | 135 | | authorized, or licensed under section 505, 510(k), 8 |
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| 136 | 136 | | 513(f)(2), 515, or 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, 9 |
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| 137 | 137 | | and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355, 360(k), 10 |
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| 138 | 138 | | 360c(f)(2), 360e, 360bbb–3) or section 351 of the 11 |
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| 139 | 139 | | Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262). 12 |
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| 140 | 140 | | (3) G |
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| 141 | 141 | | OVERNMENT.—The term ‘‘government’’ 13 |
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| 142 | 142 | | includes each branch, department, agency, instru-14 |
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| 143 | 143 | | mentality, and official of the United States or a 15 |
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| 144 | 144 | | State. 16 |
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| 145 | 145 | | (4) H |
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| 146 | 146 | | EALTH CARE PROVIDER .—The term 17 |
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| 147 | 147 | | ‘‘health care provider’’ means any entity or indi-18 |
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| 148 | 148 | | vidual (including any physician, certified nurse-mid-19 |
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| 149 | 149 | | wife, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, 20 |
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| 150 | 150 | | and pharmacist) that is licensed or otherwise author-21 |
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| 151 | 151 | | ized by a State to provide health care services. 22 |
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| 152 | 152 | | (5) S |
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| 153 | 153 | | TATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ includes each of 23 |
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| 154 | 154 | | the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Com-24 |
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| 155 | 155 | | monwealth of Puerto Rico, and each territory and 25 |
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| 159 | 159 | | possession of the United States, and any political 1 |
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| 160 | 160 | | subdivision of any of the foregoing, including any 2 |
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| 161 | 161 | | unit of local government, such as a county, city, 3 |
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| 162 | 162 | | town, village, or other general purpose political sub-4 |
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| 163 | 163 | | division of a State. 5 |
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| 164 | 164 | | SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 6 |
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| 165 | 165 | | Congress finds the following: 7 |
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| 166 | 166 | | (1) The right to contraception is a fundamental 8 |
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| 167 | 167 | | right, central to an individual’s privacy, health, well- 9 |
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| 168 | 168 | | being, dignity, liberty, equality, and ability to par-10 |
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| 169 | 169 | | ticipate in the social and economic life of the Nation. 11 |
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| 170 | 170 | | (2) The Supreme Court has repeatedly recog-12 |
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| 171 | 171 | | nized the constitutional right to contraception. 13 |
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| 172 | 172 | | (3) In Griswold v. Connecticut (381 U.S. 479 14 |
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| 173 | 173 | | (1965)), the Supreme Court first recognized the con-15 |
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| 174 | 174 | | stitutional right for married people to use contracep-16 |
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| 175 | 175 | | tives. 17 |
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| 176 | 176 | | (4) In Eisenstadt v. Baird (405 U.S. 438 18 |
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| 177 | 177 | | (1972)), the Supreme Court confirmed the constitu-19 |
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| 178 | 178 | | tional right of all people to legally access contracep-20 |
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| 179 | 179 | | tives regardless of marital status. 21 |
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| 180 | 180 | | (5) In Carey v. Population Services Inter-22 |
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| 181 | 181 | | national (431 U.S. 678 (1977)), the Supreme Court 23 |
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| 182 | 182 | | affirmed the constitutional right to contraceptives 24 |
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| 183 | 183 | | for minors. 25 |
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| 187 | 187 | | (6) The right to contraception has been repeat-1 |
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| 188 | 188 | | edly recognized internationally as a human right. 2 |
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| 189 | 189 | | The United Nations Population Fund has published 3 |
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| 190 | 190 | | several reports outlining family planning as a basic 4 |
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| 191 | 191 | | human right that advances women’s health, eco-5 |
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| 192 | 192 | | nomic empowerment, and equality. 6 |
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| 193 | 193 | | (7) Access to contraceptives is internationally 7 |
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| 194 | 194 | | recognized by the World Health Organization as ad-8 |
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| 195 | 195 | | vancing other human rights such as the right to life, 9 |
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| 196 | 196 | | liberty, expression, health, work, and education. 10 |
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| 197 | 197 | | (8) Contraception is safe, essential health care, 11 |
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| 198 | 198 | | and access to contraceptive products and services is 12 |
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| 199 | 199 | | central to people’s ability to participate equally in 13 |
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| 200 | 200 | | economic and social life in the United States and 14 |
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| 201 | 201 | | globally. Contraception allows people to make deci-15 |
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| 202 | 202 | | sions about their families and their lives. 16 |
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| 203 | 203 | | (9) Contraception is key to sexual and repro-17 |
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| 204 | 204 | | ductive health. Contraception is critical to pre-18 |
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| 205 | 205 | | venting unintended pregnancy, and many contracep-19 |
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| 206 | 206 | | tives are highly effective in preventing and treating 20 |
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| 207 | 207 | | a wide array of medical conditions and decrease the 21 |
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| 208 | 208 | | risk of certain cancers. 22 |
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| 209 | 209 | | (10) Contraception has been associated with 23 |
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| 210 | 210 | | improved health outcomes for women, their families, 24 |
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| 214 | 214 | | and their communities and reduces rates of maternal 1 |
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| 215 | 215 | | and infant mortality and morbidity. 2 |
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| 216 | 216 | | (11) The United States has a long history of 3 |
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| 217 | 217 | | reproductive coercion, including the childbearing 4 |
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| 218 | 218 | | forced upon enslaved women, as well as the forced 5 |
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| 219 | 219 | | sterilization of Black women, Puerto Rican women, 6 |
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| 220 | 220 | | indigenous women, immigrant women, and disabled 7 |
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| 221 | 221 | | women, and reproductive coercion continues to 8 |
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| 222 | 222 | | occur. This history also includes the coercive testing 9 |
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| 223 | 223 | | of contraceptive pills on women and girls in Puerto 10 |
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| 224 | 224 | | Rico. 11 |
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| 225 | 225 | | (12) The right to make personal decisions about 12 |
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| 226 | 226 | | contraceptive use is important for all Americans, 13 |
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| 227 | 227 | | and is especially critical for historically marginalized 14 |
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| 228 | 228 | | groups, including Black, indigenous, and other peo-15 |
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| 229 | 229 | | ple of color; immigrants; LGBTQ+ people; people 16 |
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| 230 | 230 | | with disabilities; people paid low wages; and people 17 |
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| 231 | 231 | | living in rural and underserved areas. 18 |
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| 232 | 232 | | (13) Many people who are part of the 19 |
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| 233 | 233 | | marginalized groups described in paragraph (12) al-20 |
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| 234 | 234 | | ready face barriers, exacerbated by social, political, 21 |
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| 235 | 235 | | economic, and environmental inequities, to com-22 |
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| 236 | 236 | | prehensive health care, including reproductive health 23 |
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| 237 | 237 | | care, that reduce their ability to make decisions 24 |
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| 238 | 238 | | about their health, families, and lives. 25 |
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| 242 | 242 | | (14) State and Federal policies governing phar-1 |
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| 243 | 243 | | maceutical and insurance policies affect the accessi-2 |
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| 244 | 244 | | bility of contraceptives and the settings in which 3 |
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| 245 | 245 | | contraception services are delivered. 4 |
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| 246 | 246 | | (15) People engage in interstate commerce to 5 |
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| 247 | 247 | | access contraception services. 6 |
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| 248 | 248 | | (16) To provide contraception services, health 7 |
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| 249 | 249 | | care providers employ and obtain commercial serv-8 |
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| 250 | 250 | | ices from doctors, nurses, and other personnel who 9 |
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| 251 | 251 | | engage in interstate commerce and travel across 10 |
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| 252 | 252 | | State lines. 11 |
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| 253 | 253 | | (17) Congress has the authority to enact this 12 |
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| 254 | 254 | | Act to protect access to contraception pursuant to— 13 |
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| 255 | 255 | | (A) its powers under the Commerce Clause 14 |
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| 256 | 256 | | of section 8 of article I of the Constitution of 15 |
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| 257 | 257 | | the United States; 16 |
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| 258 | 258 | | (B) its powers under section 5 of the Four-17 |
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| 259 | 259 | | teenth Amendment to the Constitution of the 18 |
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| 260 | 260 | | United States to enforce the provisions of sec-19 |
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| 261 | 261 | | tion 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment; and 20 |
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| 262 | 262 | | (C) its powers under the necessary and 21 |
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| 263 | 263 | | proper clause of section 8 of article I of the 22 |
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| 264 | 264 | | Constitution of the United States. 23 |
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| 268 | 268 | | (18) Congress has used its authority in the past 1 |
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| 269 | 269 | | to protect and expand access to contraception infor-2 |
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| 270 | 270 | | mation, products, and services. 3 |
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| 271 | 271 | | (19) In 1970, Congress established the family 4 |
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| 272 | 272 | | planning program under title X of the Public Health 5 |
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| 273 | 273 | | Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300 et seq.), the only Fed-6 |
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| 274 | 274 | | eral grant program dedicated to family planning and 7 |
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| 275 | 275 | | related services, providing access to information, 8 |
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| 276 | 276 | | products, and services for contraception. 9 |
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| 277 | 277 | | (20) In 1972, Congress required the Medicaid 10 |
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| 278 | 278 | | program to cover family planning services and sup-11 |
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| 279 | 279 | | plies and the Medicaid program currently accounts 12 |
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| 280 | 280 | | for 75 percent of Federal funds spent on family 13 |
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| 281 | 281 | | planning. 14 |
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| 282 | 282 | | (21) In 2010, Congress enacted the Patient 15 |
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| 283 | 283 | | Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 16 |
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| 284 | 284 | | 111–148) (referred to in this section as the ‘‘ACA’’). 17 |
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| 285 | 285 | | Among other provisions, the ACA included provi-18 |
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| 286 | 286 | | sions to expand the affordability and accessibility of 19 |
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| 287 | 287 | | contraception by requiring health insurance plans to 20 |
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| 288 | 288 | | provide coverage for preventive services with no pa-21 |
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| 289 | 289 | | tient cost-sharing. 22 |
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| 290 | 290 | | (22) States tried have tried to ban access to 23 |
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| 291 | 291 | | some or all contraceptives by restricting access to 24 |
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| 292 | 292 | | public funding for these products and services. Fur-25 |
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| 295 | 295 | | •HR 999 IH |
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| 296 | 296 | | thermore, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and 1 |
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| 297 | 297 | | Texas have infringed on people’s ability to access 2 |
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| 298 | 298 | | their contraceptive care by violating the free choice 3 |
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| 299 | 299 | | of provider requirement under the Medicaid pro-4 |
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| 300 | 300 | | gram. 5 |
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| 301 | 301 | | (23) Providers’ refusals to offer contraceptives 6 |
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| 302 | 302 | | and information related to contraception based on 7 |
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| 303 | 303 | | their own personal beliefs impede patients from ob-8 |
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| 304 | 304 | | taining their preferred method of contraception, with 9 |
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| 305 | 305 | | laws in 12 States as of the date of introduction of 10 |
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| 306 | 306 | | this Act specifically allowing health care providers to 11 |
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| 307 | 307 | | refuse to provide services related to contraception. 12 |
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| 308 | 308 | | (24) States have attempted to define abortion 13 |
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| 309 | 309 | | expansively so as to include contraceptives in State 14 |
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| 310 | 310 | | bans on abortion and have also restricted access to 15 |
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| 311 | 311 | | emergency contraception. 16 |
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| 312 | 312 | | (25) Justice Thomas, in his concurring opinion 17 |
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| 313 | 313 | | in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization 18 |
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| 314 | 314 | | (142 S. Ct. 2228 (2022)), stated that the Supreme 19 |
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| 315 | 315 | | Court ‘‘should reconsider all of this Court’s sub-20 |
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| 316 | 316 | | stantive due process precedents, including Griswold, 21 |
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| 317 | 317 | | Lawrence, and Obergefell’’ and that the Court has 22 |
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| 318 | 318 | | ‘‘a duty to correct the error established in those 23 |
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| 319 | 319 | | precedents’’ by overruling them. 24 |
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| 322 | 322 | | •HR 999 IH |
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| 323 | 323 | | (26) In order to further public health and to 1 |
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| 324 | 324 | | combat efforts to restrict access to reproductive 2 |
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| 325 | 325 | | health care, congressional action is necessary to pro-3 |
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| 326 | 326 | | tect access to contraceptives, contraception, and in-4 |
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| 327 | 327 | | formation related to contraception for everyone, re-5 |
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| 328 | 328 | | gardless of actual or perceived race, ethnicity, sex 6 |
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| 329 | 329 | | (including gender identity and sexual orientation), 7 |
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| 330 | 330 | | income, disability, national origin, immigration sta-8 |
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| 331 | 331 | | tus, or geography. 9 |
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| 332 | 332 | | SEC. 4. PURPOSES. 10 |
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| 333 | 333 | | The purposes of this Act are— 11 |
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| 334 | 334 | | (1) to provide a clear and comprehensive right 12 |
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| 335 | 335 | | to contraception; 13 |
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| 336 | 336 | | (2) to permit individuals to seek and obtain 14 |
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| 337 | 337 | | contraceptives and engage in contraception, and to 15 |
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| 338 | 338 | | permit health care providers to facilitate that care; 16 |
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| 339 | 339 | | and 17 |
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| 340 | 340 | | (3) to protect an individual’s ability to make de-18 |
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| 341 | 341 | | cisions about their body, medical care, family, and 19 |
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| 342 | 342 | | life’s course, and thereby protect the individual’s 20 |
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| 343 | 343 | | ability to participate equally in the economic and so-21 |
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| 344 | 344 | | cial life of the United States. 22 |
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| 345 | 345 | | SEC. 5. PERMITTED SERVICES. 23 |
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| 346 | 346 | | (a) I |
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| 347 | 347 | | NGENERAL.—An individual has a statutory 24 |
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| 348 | 348 | | right under this Act to obtain contraceptives and to volun-25 |
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| 351 | 351 | | •HR 999 IH |
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| 352 | 352 | | tarily engage in contraception, free from coercion, and a 1 |
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| 353 | 353 | | health care provider has a corresponding right to provide 2 |
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| 354 | 354 | | contraceptives, contraception, and information, referrals, 3 |
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| 355 | 355 | | and services related to contraception. 4 |
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| 356 | 356 | | (b) L |
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| 357 | 357 | | IMITATIONS ORREQUIREMENTS.—The statu-5 |
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| 358 | 358 | | tory rights specified in subsection (a) shall not be limited 6 |
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| 359 | 359 | | or otherwise infringed through any limitation or require-7 |
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| 360 | 360 | | ment that— 8 |
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| 361 | 361 | | (1) expressly, effectively, implicitly, or as-imple-9 |
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| 362 | 362 | | mented singles out— 10 |
|---|
| 363 | 363 | | (A) the provision of contraceptives, contra-11 |
|---|
| 364 | 364 | | ception, or contraception-related information; 12 |
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| 365 | 365 | | (B) health care providers who provide con-13 |
|---|
| 366 | 366 | | traceptives, contraception, or contraception-re-14 |
|---|
| 367 | 367 | | lated information; or 15 |
|---|
| 368 | 368 | | (C) facilities in which contraceptives, con-16 |
|---|
| 369 | 369 | | traception, or contraception-related information 17 |
|---|
| 370 | 370 | | is provided; and 18 |
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| 371 | 371 | | (2) impedes access to contraceptives, contracep-19 |
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| 372 | 372 | | tion, or contraception-related information. 20 |
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| 373 | 373 | | (c) E |
|---|
| 374 | 374 | | XCEPTION.—To defend against a claim that a 21 |
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| 375 | 375 | | limitation or requirement violates a health care provider’s 22 |
|---|
| 376 | 376 | | or individual’s statutory rights under subsection (b), a 23 |
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| 377 | 377 | | party must establish, by clear and convincing evidence, 24 |
|---|
| 378 | 378 | | that— 25 |
|---|
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| 380 | 380 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 12 |
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| 381 | 381 | | •HR 999 IH |
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| 382 | 382 | | (1) the limitation or requirement significantly 1 |
|---|
| 383 | 383 | | advances access to contraceptives, contraception, and 2 |
|---|
| 384 | 384 | | information related to contraception; and 3 |
|---|
| 385 | 385 | | (2) access to contraceptives, contraception, and 4 |
|---|
| 386 | 386 | | information related to contraception or the health of 5 |
|---|
| 387 | 387 | | patients cannot be advanced by a less restrictive al-6 |
|---|
| 388 | 388 | | ternative measure or action. 7 |
|---|
| 389 | 389 | | (d) R |
|---|
| 390 | 390 | | ULE OFCONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-8 |
|---|
| 391 | 391 | | tion shall be construed to limit the authority of the Sec-9 |
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| 392 | 392 | | retary of Health and Human Services, acting through the 10 |
|---|
| 393 | 393 | | Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to approve, clear, au-11 |
|---|
| 394 | 394 | | thorize, or license contraceptives under section 505, 12 |
|---|
| 395 | 395 | | 510(k), 513(f)(2), 515, or 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, 13 |
|---|
| 396 | 396 | | and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355, 360(k), 360c(f)(2), 14 |
|---|
| 397 | 397 | | 360e, 360bbb–3) or section 351 of the Public Health Serv-15 |
|---|
| 398 | 398 | | ice Act (42 U.S.C. 262), or for the Federal Government 16 |
|---|
| 399 | 399 | | to enforce such approval, clearance, authorization, or li-17 |
|---|
| 400 | 400 | | censure. 18 |
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| 401 | 401 | | SEC. 6. APPLICABILITY AND PREEMPTION. 19 |
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| 402 | 402 | | (a) G |
|---|
| 403 | 403 | | ENERALAPPLICATION.— 20 |
|---|
| 404 | 404 | | (1) I |
|---|
| 405 | 405 | | N GENERAL.—Except as provided in sub-21 |
|---|
| 406 | 406 | | section (c), this Act supersedes and applies to the 22 |
|---|
| 407 | 407 | | law of the Federal Government and each State, and 23 |
|---|
| 408 | 408 | | the implementation of such law, whether statutory, 24 |
|---|
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| 411 | 411 | | •HR 999 IH |
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| 412 | 412 | | common law, or otherwise, and whether adopted be-1 |
|---|
| 413 | 413 | | fore or after the date of enactment of this Act. 2 |
|---|
| 414 | 414 | | (2) P |
|---|
| 415 | 415 | | ROHIBITION.—Neither the Federal Gov-3 |
|---|
| 416 | 416 | | ernment nor any State may administer, implement, 4 |
|---|
| 417 | 417 | | or enforce any law, rule, regulation, standard, or 5 |
|---|
| 418 | 418 | | other provision having the force and effect of law in 6 |
|---|
| 419 | 419 | | a manner that— 7 |
|---|
| 420 | 420 | | (A) prohibits or restricts the sale, provi-8 |
|---|
| 421 | 421 | | sion, or use of any contraceptives as defined in 9 |
|---|
| 422 | 422 | | section 2(2); 10 |
|---|
| 423 | 423 | | (B) prohibits or restricts any individual 11 |
|---|
| 424 | 424 | | from aiding another individual in voluntarily 12 |
|---|
| 425 | 425 | | obtaining or using any contraceptives or contra-13 |
|---|
| 426 | 426 | | ceptive methods; or 14 |
|---|
| 427 | 427 | | (C) exempts any contraceptives or contra-15 |
|---|
| 428 | 428 | | ceptive methods from any other generally appli-16 |
|---|
| 429 | 429 | | cable law in a way that would make it more dif-17 |
|---|
| 430 | 430 | | ficult to sell, provide, obtain, or use such con-18 |
|---|
| 431 | 431 | | traceptives or contraceptive methods. 19 |
|---|
| 432 | 432 | | (3) R |
|---|
| 433 | 433 | | ELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER LAWS .—This 20 |
|---|
| 434 | 434 | | Act applies notwithstanding any other provision of 21 |
|---|
| 435 | 435 | | Federal law, including the Religious Freedom Res-22 |
|---|
| 436 | 436 | | toration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq.). 23 |
|---|
| 437 | 437 | | (b) S |
|---|
| 438 | 438 | | UBSEQUENTLY ENACTEDFEDERALLEGISLA-24 |
|---|
| 439 | 439 | | TION.—Federal law enacted after the date of enactment 25 |
|---|
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| 442 | 442 | | •HR 999 IH |
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| 443 | 443 | | of this Act is subject to this Act, unless such law explicitly 1 |
|---|
| 444 | 444 | | excludes such application by reference to this Act. 2 |
|---|
| 445 | 445 | | (c) L |
|---|
| 446 | 446 | | IMITATIONS.—The provisions of this Act shall 3 |
|---|
| 447 | 447 | | not supersede or otherwise affect any provision of Federal 4 |
|---|
| 448 | 448 | | law relating to coverage under (and shall not be construed 5 |
|---|
| 449 | 449 | | as requiring the provision of specific benefits under) group 6 |
|---|
| 450 | 450 | | health plans or group or individual health insurance cov-7 |
|---|
| 451 | 451 | | erage or coverage under a Federal health care program 8 |
|---|
| 452 | 452 | | (as defined in section 1128B(f) of the Social Security Act 9 |
|---|
| 453 | 453 | | (42 U.S.C. 1320a–7b(f))), including coverage provided 10 |
|---|
| 454 | 454 | | under section 1905(a)(4)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 11 |
|---|
| 455 | 455 | | U.S.C. 1396d(a)(4)(C)) and section 2713 of the Public 12 |
|---|
| 456 | 456 | | Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–13). 13 |
|---|
| 457 | 457 | | (d) D |
|---|
| 458 | 458 | | EFENSE.—In any cause of action against an in-14 |
|---|
| 459 | 459 | | dividual or entity who is subject to a limitation or require-15 |
|---|
| 460 | 460 | | ment that violates this Act, in addition to the remedies 16 |
|---|
| 461 | 461 | | specified in section 8, this Act shall also apply to, and 17 |
|---|
| 462 | 462 | | may be raised as a defense by, such an individual or entity. 18 |
|---|
| 463 | 463 | | (e) E |
|---|
| 464 | 464 | | FFECTIVEDATE.—This Act shall take effect im-19 |
|---|
| 465 | 465 | | mediately upon the date of enactment of this Act. 20 |
|---|
| 466 | 466 | | SEC. 7. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION. 21 |
|---|
| 467 | 467 | | (a) I |
|---|
| 468 | 468 | | NGENERAL.—In interpreting the provisions of 22 |
|---|
| 469 | 469 | | this Act, a court shall liberally construe such provisions 23 |
|---|
| 470 | 470 | | to effectuate the purposes described in section 4. 24 |
|---|
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| 473 | 473 | | •HR 999 IH |
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| 474 | 474 | | (b) RULE OFCONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 1 |
|---|
| 475 | 475 | | shall be construed— 2 |
|---|
| 476 | 476 | | (1) to authorize any government to interfere 3 |
|---|
| 477 | 477 | | with a health care provider’s ability to provide con-4 |
|---|
| 478 | 478 | | traceptives or information related to contraception 5 |
|---|
| 479 | 479 | | or a patient’s ability to obtain contraceptives or to 6 |
|---|
| 480 | 480 | | engage in contraception; or 7 |
|---|
| 481 | 481 | | (2) to permit or sanction the conduct of any 8 |
|---|
| 482 | 482 | | sterilization procedure without the patient’s vol-9 |
|---|
| 483 | 483 | | untary and informed consent. 10 |
|---|
| 484 | 484 | | (c) O |
|---|
| 485 | 485 | | THERINDIVIDUALSCONSIDERED ASGOVERN-11 |
|---|
| 486 | 486 | | MENTOFFICIALS.—Any individual who, by operation of 12 |
|---|
| 487 | 487 | | a provision of Federal or State law, is permitted to imple-13 |
|---|
| 488 | 488 | | ment or enforce a limitation or requirement that violates 14 |
|---|
| 489 | 489 | | section 5 shall be considered a government official for pur-15 |
|---|
| 490 | 490 | | poses of this Act. 16 |
|---|
| 491 | 491 | | SEC. 8. ENFORCEMENT. 17 |
|---|
| 492 | 492 | | (a) A |
|---|
| 493 | 493 | | TTORNEYGENERAL.—The Attorney General 18 |
|---|
| 494 | 494 | | may commence a civil action on behalf of the United 19 |
|---|
| 495 | 495 | | States against any State that violates, or against any gov-20 |
|---|
| 496 | 496 | | ernment official (including an individual described in sec-21 |
|---|
| 497 | 497 | | tion 7(c)) that implements or enforces a limitation or re-22 |
|---|
| 498 | 498 | | quirement that violates, section 5. The court shall hold 23 |
|---|
| 499 | 499 | | unlawful and set aside the limitation or requirement if it 24 |
|---|
| 500 | 500 | | is in violation of this Act. 25 |
|---|
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| 503 | 503 | | •HR 999 IH |
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| 504 | 504 | | (b) PRIVATERIGHT OFACTION.— 1 |
|---|
| 505 | 505 | | (1) I |
|---|
| 506 | 506 | | N GENERAL.—Any individual or entity, in-2 |
|---|
| 507 | 507 | | cluding any health care provider or patient, ad-3 |
|---|
| 508 | 508 | | versely affected by an alleged violation of this Act, 4 |
|---|
| 509 | 509 | | may commence a civil action against any State that 5 |
|---|
| 510 | 510 | | violates, or against any government official (includ-6 |
|---|
| 511 | 511 | | ing an individual described in section 7(c)) that im-7 |
|---|
| 512 | 512 | | plements or enforces a limitation or requirement 8 |
|---|
| 513 | 513 | | that violates, section 5. The court shall hold unlaw-9 |
|---|
| 514 | 514 | | ful and set aside the limitation or requirement if it 10 |
|---|
| 515 | 515 | | is in violation of this Act. 11 |
|---|
| 516 | 516 | | (2) H |
|---|
| 517 | 517 | | EALTH CARE PROVIDER .—A health care 12 |
|---|
| 518 | 518 | | provider may commence an action for relief on its 13 |
|---|
| 519 | 519 | | own behalf, on behalf of the provider’s staff, and on 14 |
|---|
| 520 | 520 | | behalf of the provider’s patients who are or may be 15 |
|---|
| 521 | 521 | | adversely affected by an alleged violation of this Act. 16 |
|---|
| 522 | 522 | | (c) E |
|---|
| 523 | 523 | | QUITABLERELIEF.—In any action under this 17 |
|---|
| 524 | 524 | | section, the court may award appropriate equitable relief, 18 |
|---|
| 525 | 525 | | including temporary, preliminary, and permanent injunc-19 |
|---|
| 526 | 526 | | tive relief. 20 |
|---|
| 527 | 527 | | (d) C |
|---|
| 528 | 528 | | OSTS.—In any action under this section, the 21 |
|---|
| 529 | 529 | | court shall award costs of litigation, as well as reasonable 22 |
|---|
| 530 | 530 | | attorney’s fees, to any prevailing plaintiff. A plaintiff shall 23 |
|---|
| 531 | 531 | | not be liable to a defendant for costs or attorney’s fees 24 |
|---|
| 532 | 532 | | in any nonfrivolous action under this section. 25 |
|---|
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| 536 | 536 | | (e) JURISDICTION.—The district courts of the United 1 |
|---|
| 537 | 537 | | States shall have jurisdiction over proceedings under this 2 |
|---|
| 538 | 538 | | Act and shall exercise the same without regard to whether 3 |
|---|
| 539 | 539 | | the party aggrieved shall have exhausted any administra-4 |
|---|
| 540 | 540 | | tive or other remedies that may be provided for by law. 5 |
|---|
| 541 | 541 | | (f) A |
|---|
| 542 | 542 | | BROGATION OF STATEIMMUNITY.—Neither a 6 |
|---|
| 543 | 543 | | State that enforces or maintains, nor a government official 7 |
|---|
| 544 | 544 | | (including an individual described in section 7(c)) who is 8 |
|---|
| 545 | 545 | | permitted to implement or enforce any limitation or re-9 |
|---|
| 546 | 546 | | quirement that violates section 5 shall be immune under 10 |
|---|
| 547 | 547 | | the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United 11 |
|---|
| 548 | 548 | | States, the Eleventh Amendment to the Constitution of 12 |
|---|
| 549 | 549 | | the United States, or any other source of law, from an 13 |
|---|
| 550 | 550 | | action in a Federal or State court of competent jurisdic-14 |
|---|
| 551 | 551 | | tion challenging that limitation or requirement. 15 |
|---|
| 552 | 552 | | SEC. 9. SEVERABILITY. 16 |
|---|
| 553 | 553 | | If any provision of this Act, or the application of such 17 |
|---|
| 554 | 554 | | provision to any individual, entity, government, or cir-18 |
|---|
| 555 | 555 | | cumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder 19 |
|---|
| 556 | 556 | | of this Act, or the application of such provision to all other 20 |
|---|
| 557 | 557 | | individuals, entities, governments, or circumstances, shall 21 |
|---|
| 558 | 558 | | not be affected thereby. 22 |
|---|
| 559 | 559 | | Æ |
|---|
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