Duckworth Joins Cortez Masto and Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Help Americans Access Reproductive Care
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and seven of their colleagues in introducing the Women’s Health Patient Navigators Act, which would create a federal grant program to help fund patient navigators who help Americans access reproductive healthcare. Modeled on similar programs for cancer patients, the grant program would support organizations, such as abortion funds and community health clinics, that connect individuals to reproductive healthcare resources. The Women’s Health Patient Navigators Act also protects patient navigators from retaliation.
“In the aftermath of the disastrous Dobbs decision, it’s absolutely critical we make sure women across the country can access full reproductive healthcare,” said Duckworth. “That means providing the organizations that help Americans find the care they need with the resources required to do this work. Patient navigators are a critical piece of our healthcare system, so I’m proud to support them by joining the Women’s Health Patient Navigators Act alongside Senator Cortez Mastro.”
“Navigating the health care system can be challenging and confusing, and my legislation would support organizations that are helping women seeking reproductive care connect with providers who fit their needs,” said Cortez Masto. “Patient navigators help give women across the country resources and support to access critical reproductive health care.”
Along with Duckworth, U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Tina Smith (D-MN) are also original cosponsors of the legislation. The Women’s Health Patient Navigators Act is supported by the Planned Parenthood Foundation, National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association and Catholics for Choice.
Duckworth has made protecting and expanding access to essential reproductive healthcare a top priority. She joined her colleagues to applaud the Biden Administration’s landmark decision to allow the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to provide abortion care to Veterans and their eligible dependents to protect the health and life of the person and in cases of rape or incest.
In August, she helped introduce the Reproductive Healthcare Accessibility Act to help ensure people with disabilities—who face discrimination and extra barriers when seeking care—can access reproductive services and get the informed care they need to have control over their own reproductive lives. In July, she helped introduced the Right to Contraception Act, legislation that would codify the fundamental and constitutional right to contraception, just days after writing to President Biden and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, urging them to immediately declare national and public health emergencies over Americans’ access to reproductive care.
In May, she visited Hope Clinic in Granite City, IL, and met with Director Erin King and staff to share her support for ensuring Americans everywhere can access safe and necessary healthcare. Weeks later, she helped introduce a resolution opposing the criminalization of the full range of reproductive and sexual healthcare, including abortion, gender-affirming care and contraceptive care. The resolution also disapproves of the criminalization of pregnancy outcomes. Also in May, she voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), legislation that would help protect the constitutional right to choose, which was ultimately blocked by Senate Republicans. In a speech on the Senate floor, she shared her support of Americans’ reproductive rights and urged her colleagues to pass the WHPA. Additionally, Duckworth is the lead sponsor of the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Healthcare (EACH) Act, which would end the Hyde Amendment and lift unjust abortion coverage restrictions for those who depend on Medicaid and other government-sponsored plans.
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