Congresswoman Sara Jacobs Joins Speaker Pelosi to Advocate for the Right to Contraception Act
Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-53) joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Reps. Kathy Manning (NC-06), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Angie Craig (MN-02) ahead of tomorrow’s vote to pass H.R. 8373, the Right to Contraception Act. This legislation would codify access to contraception into federal law in response to Justice Clarence Thomas’ concurring opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson, where he explicitly called for reconsideration of long-standing precedents like Griswold v. Connecticut, which protects the use of contraceptives. Congresswoman Jacobs will preside over the House Floor during the passage of H.R. 8373 tomorrow.
Watch Rep. Sara Jacobs’ Remarks Here
In her remarks, Congresswoman Jacobs said:
“Thank you, Speaker Pelosi, for bringing us together today, for moving so quickly to bring our bill, the Right to Contraception Act, to the floor – and for your unwavering leadership in this post-Roe moment. And thank you to my friend, Congresswoman Manning for her leadership on this issue and to Congresswomen Williams, Craig, and Underwood for working with us on this.
“As a young woman, reproductive health care is my health care. So I know personally that if, when, and how to grow a family are decisions that are personal and private, and should never be decided by the Supreme Court or even by Congress.
“I’ve lived my entire life with the constitutional right to contraception – and it’s a right I’ve exercised for decades – whether it was the birth control pills I used when I was a teenager to address debilitating cramps, the IUD I’ve relied on for years, or the Plan B I’ve used at times, that was thankfully available over the counter when I needed it.
“I was recently told that I’m the first Member of Congress to talk about my period on the House floor in the last 35 years – and maybe ever. [applause] Thank you. But honestly, we should be talking about our periods, and we should be talking about our birth control and we should be talking about the health care that millions of Americans need for their everyday lives. Because this is not a side issue that only affects some of us. This is a kitchen table issue, as the Speaker said.
“These threats from Justice Thomas and the Supreme Court are not abstract – not for me and the tens of millions of Americans who rely on contraception every single day. And they aren’t hypothetical. We can’t wait for things that once seemed unthinkable to happen to act. We have to act now, and we are.
“Because the post-Roe era is not going to look like the pre-Roe era. We have more tools at our disposal now, but so do they. That’s why, under Speaker Pelosi’s leadership, we’re moving swiftly to protect all of our rights that are under attack – the right to an abortion, to privacy, to travel, to marry who you love, to not have your digital footprint used against you, and the right to contraception.
“We will never stop fighting because the stakes are too high and they are too personal – and I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues to get the Right to Contraception Act passed tomorrow.”
Congresswoman Sara Jacobs has been a tireless advocate for reproductive rights throughout her first term in Congress. In addition to co-leading H.R. 8373 and being an original cosponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act, the Congresswoman introduced the My Body, My Data Act (H.R. 8111, S. 4434) with Senator Mazie Hirono and Senator Ron Wyden, which would create a new national standard to protect personal reproductive health data. She is also a co-sponsor of the Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act, legislation to expand insurance coverage for the full range of reproductive and fertility health care. Congresswoman Jacobs has publicly shared her personal experience freezing her eggs and about her efforts to expand fertility and reproductive health care.
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