Freedom to Decide Act

Bill: 118-hconres-33
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Introduced: 2023-04-13
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2023-04-13
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-04-13
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Freedom to Decide Act</b></p> <p>This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress to (1) affirm that federal law authorizes the distribution of medication abortion, including by mail, as stated in a 2022 Department of Justice memorandum; and (2) condemn restrictions on the access and coverage of reproductive health care, including medication abortion.</p>

tv_txt: IV 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 33 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 13, 2023 Mr. Gottheimer (for himself, Ms. Crockett , and Ms. Craig ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing support for access to medication abortion in the United States.

Whereas all people have a fundamental right to make personal, private health care decisions about their own bodies, lives, and futures; Whereas access to medication abortion is essential to protecting that fundamental right and does note violate Federal law, as confirmed by the December 23, 2022, Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel Memorandum Opinion entitled Application of the Comstock Act to the Mailing of Prescription Drugs That Can Be Used for Abortions ; Whereas telehealth services for medication abortion are safe and dramatically improve accessibility of reproductive health care services; and Whereas the drug mifepristone was appropriately approved under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 301 et seq. ): Now, therefore, be it

1. Short title This resolution may be cited as the Freedom to Decide Act . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress to— (1) affirm the existing authority to distribute medication abortion under Federal law, as confirmed by the December 23, 2022, Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel Memorandum Opinion for the General Counsel of the United States Postal Service which states in part that Section 1461 of title 18 of the U.S. Code does not prohibit the mailing of certain drugs that can be used to perform abortions where the sender lacks the intent that the recipient of the drugs will use them unlawfully. ; and (2) condemn restrictions on access to and coverage of reproductive health care, including medication abortion like mifepristone.