Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Republicans Stymie Bill To Guarantee Birth Control Access Nationwide
Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked action on legislation to codify the right to contraception access nationwide, a bill Democrats brought to the floor to spotlight an issue on which the G.O.P. is at odds with a vast majority of voters. All but two Republicans present 鈥 Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine 鈥 voted against advancing the legislation. Democrats, who unanimously supported it, were left nine votes short of the 60 they would need to take up the bill, which would protect a reproductive health option that many voters worry is actively at risk of being stripped away. (Karni, 6/5)
President Biden doubled down on his push for Congress to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law, after Senate Republicans blocked a bill from consideration Wednesday that would have established a federal right to birth control. 鈥淍VP and I believe that women in every state must have the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions,鈥 Biden wrote in a post on the social platform X, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris. (Fortinsky, 6/5)
California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a fierce response Wednesday in the wake of U.S. Senate Republicans blocking legislation protecting access to contraception nationwide. The Right to Contraception bill needed 60 votes to advance but failed with 51 votes in favor to 39 against. Only two Republicans voted in favor. (Ramos, 6/5)
Here鈥檚 a list of every Republican who voted against the measure. (Jane, 6/5)