Press Release California
Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Celebrates the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act
For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 24, 2021
Contact: [email protected]
Washington, DC — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act (HR 239). This bill would ensure that after their service to our country is completed, veterans and former service members of the U.S. armed forces will have access to contraception without out-of-pocket costs, like their civilian counterparts.
NARAL Pro-Choice America Acting VP of Communications & Research Kristin Ford released the following statement:
“NARAL is pleased to celebrate the passing of the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act. Every body, including veterans and former service members, deserves access to affordable contraception that is best for them. As the daughter and granddaughter of members of the military, I know firsthand the importance of service members having access to affordable healthcare, including contraception. The freedom to determine if and when to start or grow a family is inextricably tied to our wellbeing, equality, and ability to determine the course of our lives. ”
Every body should have access to affordable birth control—no matter their income level, where they live, where they work, or where they get their insurance—but small copays can be prohibitive for veterans struggling to make ends meet. Studies show that the costs associated with contraception, even when small, lead some people to forgo it entirely, choose less effective methods, or use it inconsistently. By eliminating unnecessary barriers, HR 239 will ensure that veterans are able to choose the option that is right for them from the full range of FDA-approved methods and get the healthcare they need.
Despite the disinformation repeatedly pushed by anti-choice lawmakers, contraception like birth control is not controversial. The public overwhelmingly supports access to contraception.
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For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates and chapters have fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom—including access to abortion, contraception, and paid family leave—for every body. NARAL is powered by its more than 2.5 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 7 in 10 Americans who believe every person should have the freedom to make the best decision for themselves about if, when, and how to raise a family.