Senate Republicans faced backlash on Wednesday after blocking legislation that would codify the right to contraception access nationwide. The bill, brought to the floor by Democrats, aimed to highlight the divide between the G.O.P. and the majority of voters on this issue.
Despite unanimous support from Democrats, all but two Republicans, Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, voted against advancing the legislation. This left Democrats nine votes short of the 60 needed to take up the bill, which would protect access to contraceptives like Plan B and IUDs.
Senator Patty Murray of Washington expressed frustration, calling the vote an “easy” one that shouldn’t even be necessary. Republicans, however, argued that there was no legitimate effort to restrict access to birth control and criticized the bill as a political stunt.
Democrats have been pushing for the right to contraception for two years, especially after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Republicans have consistently linked contraception to the issue of abortion, making it difficult to garner their support.
The final vote was 51 to 39, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer switching his vote to “no” to bring up the measure again in the future. President Biden criticized Republicans for failing to safeguard women’s rights, while Democrats emphasized the importance of protecting access to contraception ahead of the November elections.
Despite the setback, Democrats were able to portray Republicans as extremists who want to restrict basic reproductive rights. Senator Murkowski, who supported the legislation, emphasized her message of supporting contraception in the face of opposition from her party.