WYOMING— The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation today that would codify access to contraceptives on the federal level. Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was among eight Republicans who supported the legislation.
The seven other GOP representatives who supported the bill include Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Fred Upton of Michigan, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, John Katko of New York, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida and Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio.
The vote was 228-195 but the legislation still hangs in the balance as it heads to a vote on the Senate floor which is split 50-50.
The legislation is in response to concerns from congressional Democrats that the conservative-leaning Supreme Court could continue to overturn other precedents, following the overturn of Roe v. Wade on June 24.
In Judge Clarence Thomas’s opinion to overturn Roe V. Wade, Thomas wrote, “The purported right to abortion is not a form of “liberty” protected by the Due Process Clause. Such a right is neither “deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition” nor “implicit in the concept of ordered liberty.”
“In future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence and Obergefell,” Thomas wrote.
Griswold vs. Connecticut was the 1965 decision by the Court that the Constitution of the United States protects the liberty of married couples to buy and use contraceptives without government restriction. Lawrence vs. Texas was the 2003 ruling that sanctions of criminal punishment for same-sex relationships are unconstitutional and Obergefell v. Hodges 2015 ruling that same-sex couples are guaranteed the right to marry. All of these rules are based on the due process clause of the fourteenth amendment.
According to an Associated Press report, nearly all adults, 92%, called birth control “morally acceptable.”
On Tuesday, the House also pushed through legislation that would protect same-sex and interracial marriages. Rep. Liz Cheney also voted to support that bill.
The house voted 267-157 to pass the bill, with 47 Republicans in support.
According to an Associated Press report, “A Gallup poll in June showed broad and increasing support for same-sex marriage, with 70% of U.S. adults saying they think such unions should be recognized by law as valid. The poll showed majority support among both Democrats (83%) and Republicans (55%).”
