Senate Democrats Plan Reproductive Rights Votes for June Session

Senate Democratic leaders will put a reproductive rights bill on the floor in June to pressure Republicans ahead of the 2024 elections.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Wednesday he will tee up a vote on a bill (S. 1999) creating a right to access contraception and for health care providers to provide contraceptives to people. Democrats also expect to hold a vote on Sen. Tammy Duckworth‘s (D-Ill.) bill (S. 3612) guaranteeing access to IVF services, Duckworth told Bloomberg Government Wednesday.

Neither bill has Republican support, meaning they lack the votes to pass the Senate.

Democrats say the votes will put lawmakers on the record on hot button issues before November’s elections.

“It’s important that folks tell their constituents where they stand,” Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), a member of Democratic leadership, told reporters Wednesday.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), head of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, said his panel is eyeing action on the issue as well, timed for June.

Republicans have responded to these bills with legislation of their own.

Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) this week introduced their own bill meant to protect access to in vitro fertilization. Unlike the Duckworth bill, this legislation would punish states that ban IVF services rather than create a right to access the procedures.