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2019 Congressional Record on Choice Government Relations Department 1725 I Street, NW Suite 900 Washington, DC 20006 202.973.3000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ON CHOICE 116TH CONGRESS, 1ST SESSION NARAL Pro-Choice America’s 2019 Congressional Record on Choice documents the key House and Senate votes on reproduc- For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice tive freedom taken during the first session of the 116th Congress. The 116th Congress reflects a wave of historic firsts—most America has led the fight for repro- significantly the first pro-choice majority in the House of Representatives. There are a record number of women serving ductive freedom for everyone, includ- in the House, and more LGBTQ people serving in Congress than ever before. The freshman class is also younger than most ing the right to access abortion. recent incoming classes and the 116th Congress reflects record breaking racial, ethnic, and religious diversity. Nowhere was the new pro-choice House majority more NARAL Pro-Choice America is powered evident than in the appropriations process. House spending bills for fiscal year 2020 reflected increased funding for vital by our 2.5 million members—in every family planning programs, defunded harmful abstinence-on- ly-until-marriage programs, and blocked many of the Trump administration’s efforts to use the regulatory process to state and congressional district. restrict access to abortion and family planning services. Though the House bills were not passed by the Senate, we We represent the more than 7 in 10 now see what can happen when lawmakers committed to reproductive rights are in control. Unfortunately, some long- Americans who believe every person standing abortion restrictions remained in the funding bills, but we will continue to work with champions for reproductive should have the freedom to make the freedom to find ways to chip away at these barriers. best decision for themselves about if, Notably, co-sponsorship of the EACH Woman Act continued to grow, bringing the total number of co-sponsors when, and how to raise a family to a record high in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, which would repeal bans on abortion coverage in government healthcare programs, reflects a growing movement calling for an end to these restrictions. The Women’s Health Protection Act also achieved a record number of co-sponsors this year. The Women’s Health Protection Act would establish a federal 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ON CHOICE 1 statutory right to abortion and would block the onslaught of Our legislative victories in the House are a preview of state bans and restrictions on abortion. Given continued state the potential wins ahead for reproductive freedom under a efforts to ban and restrict abortion access across the country, pro-choice legislative majority. Despite these victories, Roe we need this legislation now more than ever. v. Wade is more vulnerable than ever. This term the Supreme Court decided to take up its first major abortion case since The progressive majority in the House also put an end Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed. As we head into a to the onslaught of Congressional attacks on the Affordable presidential election year, NARAL Pro-Choice America and Care Act (ACA) and legislative efforts to defund Planned our 2.5 million member-activists will hold accountable the Parenthood. Unfortunately, the Trump administration’s lawmakers who are attacking reproductive freedom, and we dangerous domestic gag rule and efforts to undermine the will fight for our champions who know that women and fami- ACA in the courts and through the regulatory process could lies don’t deserve to pay the price for a political agenda. We still have devastating consequences on access to reproductive remain vigilant in our commitment to defend and advance healthcare across the country. our fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right to While the House worked its way through the appropriations decide freely if, when, and how to start a family, and we know process, the Senate was hard at work confirming anti-choice that 7 in 10 Americans stand with us. nominees to executive and judicial posts, in most cases handing them lifetime positions that will allow them to promote Trump and the Senate GOP’s anti-choice agenda for decades to come. In doing so, the Senate has allowed Trump to change the face of the judiciary—for the worse—for at least a generation. It is hard to overstate the impact that this president has had on the federal court system. Trump has now confirmed over 160 judicial nominees, many of them with reprehensible records on reproductive freedom and some rated as “not qualified” by the nonpartisan American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Judiciary for their lack of legal experience. The list of Trump’s nominees is woefully lacking in gender, racial, and ethnic diversity. Senate Republicans, critical allies in Trump’s strategy to flood the courts with anti-choice judges, have been working to confirm these nominees as fast as possible. Trump judges now account for more than a quarter of federal appellate judges. Senate Republicans’ attacks on reproductive freedom have not been limited to the courts. The anti-choice Senate majority took breaks from stacking the federal judiciary to introduce bills that would restrict access to abortion by elimi- nating insurance coverage of abortion (including in the private market) and interfering in the medical practice of abortion care. Thankfully these bills failed on procedural votes. 2 NARAL PRO-CHOICE AMERICA 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ON CHOICE 3 Sixth Circuit. Confirmed 52-47. A pro-choice vote (+) was against confirmation. (3/6/19). 6. Murphy Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice nominee Eric Murphy to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the VOTE DESCRIPTIONS Sixth Circuit. Confirmed 52-46. A pro-choice vote (+) was SENATE against confirmation. (3/7/19). 7. Rao Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice nominee 1. No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act: Motion to End Neomi Rao to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Debate. No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act, S.109. Columbia Circuit. Confirmed 53-46. A pro-choice vote (+) Motion to invoke cloture (end debate) on Wicker (R-MS) was against confirmation. (3/13/19). bill to effectively ban abortion coverage in the state 8. Wyrick Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice health insurance exchanges, penalize small businesses nominee Patrick Wyrick to the U.S. District Court for that purchase private health plans that include abor- the Western District of Oklahoma. Confirmed 53-47. A tion coverage, mandate that health plans make biased, pro-choice vote (+) was against confirmation. (4/9/19). one-sided “disclosures” of abortion coverage, and reiterate and expand bans on public insurance coverage of abor- 9. Barker Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice nominee tion. Three-fifths of the Senate (60 votes) is required to J. Campbell Barker to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern invoke cloture on legislation. Cloture motion failed 48-47. District of Texas. Confirmed 51-47. A pro-choice vote (+) A pro-choice vote (+) was against cloture. (1/17/19). was against confirmation. (5/1/19). 2. Barr Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice nominee 10. Brasher Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice William Barr to the post of Attorney General. Confirmed nominee Andrew Brasher to the U.S. District Court for the 54-45. A pro-choice vote (+) was against confirmation. Middle District of Alabama. Confirmed 52-47. A pro-choice (2/14/19). vote (+) was against confirmation. (5/1/19). 3. Interference in Abortion Practice: Motion to End Debate. 11. Park Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice nominee Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, S.311. Motion Michael Park to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second to invoke cloture (end debate) on the motion to proceed Circuit. Confirmed 52-41. A pro-choice vote (+) was against to the Sasse (R-NE) bill to interfere with the medical prac- confirmation. (5/9/19). tice of abortion care under the threat of severe penalties. 12. Truncale Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice Three-fifths of the Senate (60 votes) is required to invoke nominee Michael Truncale to the U.S. District Court for the cloture on legislation. Cloture motion failed 53-44. A Eastern District of Texas. Confirmed 49-46. A pro-choice pro-choice vote (+) was against cloture. (2/25/19). vote (+) was against confirmation. (5/14/19). 4. Miller Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice nominee 13. Lee Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice nominee Eric Miller to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Kenneth Lee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Confirmed 53-46. A pro-choice vote (+) was against Circuit. Confirmed 52-45. A pro-choice vote (+) was against confirmation. (2/26/19). confirmation. (5/15/19). 5. Readler Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice 14. Vitter Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice nominee nominee Chad Readler to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Wendy Vitter to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern 4 NARAL PRO-CHOICE AMERICA 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ON CHOICE 5 District of Louisiana. Confirmed 52-45. A pro-choice vote Third Circuit. Confirmed 56-40. A pro-choice vote (+) was (+) was against confirmation. (5/16/19). against confirmation. (7/16/19). 15. Collins Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice 24. Berger Confirmation. Vote to confirm anti-choice nominee nominee Daniel Collins to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Wendy Williams Berger to the U.S. District Court for the Ninth Circuit. Confirmed 53-46. A pro-choice vote (+) was Middle District of Florida.
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