ICYMI: Cortez Masto Fights to Protect Affordable Over-The-Counter Birth Control

Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

May 23, 2023

In Case You Missed It, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) is continuing her fight to protect women’s rights by reintroducing her legislation to ensure that women across the country have affordable access to FDA-approved birth control without a prescription.

Senator Cortez Masto has been fierce advocate for women’s reproductive rights—introducing legislation to ensure legal protections for women traveling across state lines to receive reproductive care, urging the FTC to protect the data privacy of women seeking reproductive health care, and taking on one of the nation’s biggest pharmaceutical wholesalers to ensure Nevadans can access the abortion pill in retail pharmacies.

Las Vegas Sun: Senators aim to protect access to birth control with OTC pill

The days of needing a prescription to obtain hormonal birth control may soon be over, as a collective of Democratic U.S. senators last week introduced a bill that would allow patients to purchase daily-use contraception over the counter.

Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Patty Murray of Washington, and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii introduced the Affordability is Access Act, which seeks to “ensure coverage of all contraception” the Food and Drug Administration has approved for “routine, daily use” without a prescription, Cortez Masto’s office said in a release.

“Women’s reproductive freedoms are under attack across the country, and we know that far-right extremists won’t stop at limiting a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body,” Cortez Masto said in a statement.

“It is essential that we put policies in place now that will provide timely access to over-the-counter birth control once approved by the FDA. Comprehensive coverage for contraception will help thousands of Nevada women stay healthy and in control of their own lives.”

KRNV: Cortez Masto Highlights Urgent Need for Her Affordability is Access Act

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and other Senators are highlighting the urgent need for the Affordability is Access Act. 

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Cortez Masto: “We have to make sure that women have free to access to medication for their health when they need it. Unfortunately…what we see across this country is really an attack on women’s rights when it comes to their health care, and we just have to push back. 

“For me this is such an important issue that I will continue fighting on. We just have to stand up and push back, and this legislation is a key part of it.”

KTVN: Cortez Masto Pushes New Legislation to Expand Access to Over-The-Counter Birth Control

Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto is pushing new legislation to expand access to over-the-counter birth control without a prescription. 

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Senator Cortez Masto says it comes down to expanding health care access for women. 

Cortez Masto: “Many of us have been talking about for women, their reproductive freedom rights, just in general, their right to determine to their healthcare needs and be free to access essential medication to do just that.”

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