Sen. Ernst Plans Contraception Bill Before Test Vote

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Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, plans to introduce a bill designed to protect access to over-the-counter birth control before a planned Senate test vote by Democrats on legislation designed to protect women’s access to contraception.

“Despite the fearmongering from the left, it’s clear Republicans have solutions to support women and families, and they are gaining momentum,” Ernst said in a press release.

Her legislation, the Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act, will “increase over-the-counter contraception options while bringing much-needed transparency to ensure the government uses tax dollars to support families. I’ll continue to stand up for women’s access to safe and effective birth control while creating accountability for the Democrats’ radical agenda,” Ernst said.

Democrats’ test vote on contraception access comes as the Senate has abandoned hopes for doing serious bipartisan legislation before the election and as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats are trying to spotlight issues that they believe can help them win the presidency and keep the Senate in November.

A similar vote on ensuring nationwide access to in vitro fertilization could come as soon as next week. Neither bill is likely to pass the Senate, where Democrats would need 60 votes, much less the Republican-led House. But Schumer said Tuesday that Democrats will “put reproductive freedoms front and center before this chamber, so that the American people can see for themselves who will stand up to defend their fundamental liberties.”

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., slammed the Democrats’ “show votes on extreme legislation,” and said she was proud to join Ernst’s effort “that provides a commonsense path forward for easier access to safe birth control, including those in rural areas.

“Increasing over-the-counter contraception options and gaining a better understanding of where federal funding for contraception is currently going will enable us to better target the gaps that may be impacting access and where resources may be duplicated or misallocated,” Capito said in a release.

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., added: “Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats are lying to the American people because they are behind in the polls, so they came up with an absurd claim that we oppose contraception.

“Nothing could be further from the truth. There is not a single Republican senator who opposes access to contraception and Senate Democrats should be ashamed of lying to women and families to score political points. I support the common sense measures in Senator Ernst’s bill.”