Last month, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, not only wiping out abortion access for millions of Americans but also setting the stage for the right-leaning Court to further erode our rights.

In his concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas made it clear that access to contraception is also on the line. That’s why my Democratic colleagues and I immediately drafted legislation to codify the right to contraception nationwide into federal law, and protect doctors who prescribe it. And last week, I was proud to vote to pass this critical bill in the House.

But folks, almost all of my Republican colleagues voted against this legislation. It’s completely outrageous.

If Republicans want to stop abortions, then why restrict resources to women who want to avoid unintended pregnancies? And more than 90% of Americans are in favor of contraception, so whose priorities are my Republican colleagues fighting for?

The mere fact we’re even having this conversation in 2022 is absurd. Nearly 25 years ago, I worked with a bipartisan group in the North Carolina state legislature to get health insurance providers to cover access to birth control. And the fact that 195 Republicans in Congress are not in favor of legislation protecting the right to contraception today shows just how extreme their party has become.

To defend our rights from Republicans who are hell-bent on taking them away, we’ve got to roll up our sleeves and fight back harder than ever before. So if you can, please pitch in to support our work to protect and expand our Democratic majorities.

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The people of North Carolina elected me to stand up for their rights. I won’t stop fighting until all Americans have full equality under the law, and all women have control over their bodies and reproductive health decisions. Thank you for joining me in that fight.

— Deborah