III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 703 

Designating a day in May 2024, as ‘‘Disability Reproductive Equity Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 23, 2024 

Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. WELCH, 

Mr. MARKEY, Ms. SMITH, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. PADILLA, Ms. HIRONO, 

Ms. STABENOW, Mr. CASEY, and Mr. BOOKER) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating a day in May 2024, as ‘‘Disability Reproductive 

Equity Day’’. 

Whereas, in the United States, there are approximately 1 in 

4 adults with disabilities, 1 in 10 people with disabilities 

who are able to become pregnant, and approximately 

4,100,000 parents with disabilities; 

Whereas this country has witnessed a long history of reproductive coercion impacting people with disabilities, including through the discriminatory Supreme Court decision 

Buck v. Bell, 274 U.S. 200 (1927), which upheld State 

laws authorizing involuntary sterilization of people with 

disabilities and which has never been overturned; 


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•SRES 703 IS 

Whereas 31 States and Washington, DC currently have laws 

explicitly allowing the forced sterilization of people with 

disabilities; 

Whereas people with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in congregate care facilities are at an increased risk of physical and sexual abuse, and the majority of these abuses go unreported; 

Whereas women with disabilities are almost twice as likely as 

women without disabilities to experience sexual violence 

in their lifetime; 

Whereas people with disabilities face unique barriers when 

accessing reproductive health care and exercising their reproductive and sexual health, autonomy, and freedom, including— 

(1) harmful stereotypes about, and attitudes towards, people with disabilities; 

(2) legal barriers and lack of consent due to guardianship; 

(3) financial barriers; 

(4) language and communication barriers; 

(5) delays in receiving preventative services; 

(6) a lack of accessible health care facilities, medical 

diagnostic equipment, and travel; and 

(7) a lack of health care providers with training on, 

and knowledge of, the needs of people with disabilities receiving reproductive health care; 

Whereas people with and without disabilities want children at 

the same frequency, but people with disabilities are less 

likely to receive contraception counseling and timely prenatal care, experience a higher rate of sterilization, and 

are at a greater risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes; 


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•SRES 703 IS 

Whereas an ongoing legacy of reproductive oppression of people with disabilities, especially women with disabilities, 

people of color with disabilities, people with disabilities 

with low incomes, and LGBTQI+ people with disabilities, 

has deprived many of their reproductive autonomy; 

Whereas nearly 2 years after the Supreme Court overturned 

Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) in Dobbs v. Jackson 

Women’s Health Organization, 142 S. Ct. 2228 (2022), 

nearly 3,000,000 reproductive-aged women with disabilities live in States that have, or are likely to have, abortion bans; 

Whereas State laws and court decisions in at least 21 States 

have restricted access to reproductive health care, including abortion care, disproportionally harming people who 

already face barriers to reproductive health care, including people with disabilities; 

Whereas section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 

U.S.C. 794), titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.; 42 U.S.C. 

12181 et seq.), and section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18116) prohibit 

discrimination against people with disabilities and provide 

them with the right to equitably access and receive health 

care; and 

Whereas all people, including people with disabilities, have 

the right to decide if, when, and how to start and raise 

a family: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates a day in May 2024, as ‘‘Dis3 ability Reproductive Equity Day’’ to support and 

4 bring awareness to the right of people with disabilVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:01 May 24, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR703.IS SR703

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•SRES 703 IS 

1 ities to reproductive and sexual health, autonomy, 

2 and freedom; 

3 (2) pledges to advance the right of people with 

4 disabilities to reproductive and sexual health, auton5 omy, and freedom; and 

6 (3) calls on the President to continue to fulfill 

7 the promise of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the 

8 Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the 

9 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to sup10 port, bolster, and protect the right of people with 

11 disabilities to reproductive and sexual health, auton12 omy, and freedom. 

Æ 


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