III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 37 

Supporting women’s reproductive health care decisions. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 22, 2015 

Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mrs. MURRAY, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, 

Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BROWN, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. COONS, 

Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. 

HIRONO, Mr. KAINE, Mr. KING, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MARKEY, Mrs. 

MCCASKILL, Mr. MENENDEZ, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. PETERS, 

Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. SCHUMER, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. TESTER, Mr. UDALL, Ms. WARREN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. 

WYDEN, and Mr. FRANKEN) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting women’s reproductive health care decisions. 

Whereas access to comprehensive reproductive health care is 

critical to improving the health and well-being of women 

and their families and is an essential part of their economic security; 

Whereas access to affordable contraceptives, including emergency contraceptives, and medically accurate information 

prevents unintended pregnancies, thereby improving the 

health of women, children, families, and society as a 

whole; 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 37 IS 

Whereas Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), was decided 42 

years ago and clarifies that women have a constitutional 

right to plan their families and futures; 

Whereas private reproductive health care decisions should be 

decided by women and their health care providers; 

Whereas the requirement under the Patient Protection and 

Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148) that all insurance plans cover contraception without cost sharing 

has saved women at least $483,000,000, and more than 

30,000,000 women are eligible for this benefit; 

Whereas research suggests that increasing the rate of contraceptive use may be associated with the decline in teen 

pregnancy by 50 percent since 1990; 

Whereas elected officials in many States and Congress have 

attempted to block or curtail women’s access to medical 

care and information in order to fulfill a political agenda, 

and they have often succeeded in such attempts; 

Whereas there have been numerous attempts, both legal and 

legislative, to allow insurance companies and employers 

to deny women coverage for all contraceptive methods approved by the Food and Drug Administration, even 

though the law requires such coverage, and such methods 

are based on a foundation of scientific evidence; 

Whereas since the enactment of the Patient Protection and 

Affordable Care Act, States have enacted hundreds of 

laws restricting access to women’s reproductive health 

care and 24 States have enacted laws that reduce abortion coverage in plans that are offered through the Exchanges established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; and 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 37 IS 

Whereas 24 States have laws or policies that interfere with 

women’s health care providers in a way that undermines, 

instead of strengthens, patient safety: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate supports efforts to— 

2 (1) ensure that all women have access to the 

3 best available, scientifically based health care and in4 formation; 

5 (2) ensure that women can make their own pri6 vate health care decisions with access to comprehen7 sive, unbiased information and confidentiality; 

8 (3) ensure that women and families, not their 

9 employers, make their own decisions about their 

10 health care; 

11 (4) prohibit employers or government entities 

12 from interfering with or denying reproductive health 

13 care services guaranteed by law, including access to 

14 contraception without cost; 

15 (5) promote preventive health care services and 

16 wellness for women; 

17 (6) guarantee the constitutionally protected 

18 right to safe, legal abortion services; 

19 (7) ensure that women have access to health 

20 care that fosters safe childbearing, with resources 

21 available to reduce maternal and infant morbidity 

22 and mortality; 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 37 IS 

1 (8) ensure that all women have access to com2 prehensive, affordable insurance coverage that in3 cludes pregnancy-related care, such as prenatal care, 

4 miscarriage management, family planning services, 

5 abortions, labor and delivery services, and postnatal 

6 care; and 

7 (9) enact legislation that improves and expands 

8 women’s access to reproductive health care regard9 less of the State within which they reside. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS