Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Women’s Health Protection Act and the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act. The measures respond directly to the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to overturn the constitutional right to abortion guaranteed in Roe v. Wade:
“I am pleased that today the U.S. House of Representatives passed two critical pieces of legislation in response to the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision overturning Roe, and Republicans’ extreme goal of banning and criminalizing abortion care nationwide. The Women’s Health Protection Act enshrines the right to abortion at the federal level and the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act stops Republicans from targeting people who travel across state lines to access abortion care.
“Since last month’s Dobbs decision, House Democrats have been unwavering in our efforts to defend the right to access abortion and the full range of reproductive health care. I urge the Senate to do whatever it takes to swiftly pass these critical bills to protect access to abortion and push back against Republicans’ draconian and unpopular agenda. It has never been more crucial for Democrats to loudly, fiercely, and passionately fight for legislation to empower and protect women and all people who can get pregnant.”
Background on Oversight Committee Work:
On November 14, 2019, Chairwoman Maloney held her first hearing as Acting Chairwoman of the Oversight Committee to examine draconian abortion restrictions in Missouri and how states were being emboldened by the Trump Administration’s sustained and systemic attacks on reproductive health care.
On February 9, 2021, Chairwoman Maloney and Committee Member Rep. Ayanna Pressley led all Democratic Committee Congresswomen in sending a letter asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lift the medically unnecessary in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone.
On August 17, 2021, Chairwoman Maloney, Rep. Pressley, and Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Diana DeGette and Rep. Barbara Lee led more than 70 of their House Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution in support of equitable, science-based policies governing access to medication abortion care.
On September 30, 2021, Chairwoman Maloney held a hearing in which Committee Member Rep. Cori Bush, along with Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Rep. Lee, testified on the state of abortion in America, bravely sharing their personal stories before the Oversight Committee.
On November 17, 2021, Chairwoman Maloney led a bicameral Democratic coalition in reintroducing the Access to Birth Control Act, to guarantee patients’ timely access to birth control at the pharmacy—including by addressing pharmacies’ refusals of contraception, which prevent patients from obtaining their preferred form of birth control medication.
On December 16, 2021, FDA announced its decision to eliminate the medically unnecessary in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone.
On March 15, 2022, Chairwoman Maloney, and Reps. Pressley and Bush led all Democratic Committee Congresswomen in sending a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) commending Secretary Becerra for establishing the Reproductive Health Care Access Task Force and urging the Task Force to take immediate action to protect and expand access to medication abortion care.
On May 27, 2022, Chairwoman Maloney sent letters to nine pharmacy benefit managers and health insurance companies requesting information regarding the companies’ compliance with the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that individuals enrolled in private health insurance plans receive coverage of contraceptives, and related services, with no cost-sharing.
On July 8, 2022, Chairwoman Maloney, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Rep. Sara Jacobs launched an investigation into data broker companies’ and personal health application companies’ collection and sale of personal reproductive health data.
On July 13, 2022, Chairwoman Maloney held a hearing where experts and state lawmakers testified to the devastating impact of the Dobbs decision for patients and health care providers across the nation, especially in states where access to abortion has already been restricted or is under threat.
Original source can be found here.
