Reproductive Rights
DEFEND AND EXPAND REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE – Reproductive justice is essential for the health and well being of all individuals. Neal will work hard against any federal, state, or local rollbacks or restrictions that impede on the ability of individuals to access quality reproductive healthcare services such as birth control, or medically accurate sexuality education. Neal believes in Medicare for All that provides open access to safe and legal abortion, birth control, and family planning services. Reproductive Justice also means access to adequate, affordable pre- and post-natal care, for all people, regardless of their income, location, or background. When elected Neal will also urge Congress to Terminate the Filibuster and Expand the Supreme Court under Biden’s administration as a means to codify reproductive rights under Federal Law.
Neal supports a bill that codifies access to abortion
- As outlined in the Women’s Health Protection Act, we must support any legislation that would (1) protect the right to access abortion free from medically unnecessary restrictions and bans on abortion and (2) create a statutory right for health care providers to provide abortion care and a corresponding right for their patients to receive that care.
Neal supports permanently repealing the Hyde Amendment
- Abortion is health care and a human right. It must be accessible and affordable for everyone, independent of the color of your skin, your income, your zip code, or your documentation status. The Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funding for abortion, preventing people enrolled in Medicaid and other public programs from using their health insurance to cover abortion care. This disproportionately impacts people already facing systemic barriers to care, particularly Black, Indigenous and other people of color. The Hyde Amendment must be permanently appealed as soon as possible.
Neal supports lifting bans or existing barriers in place that disallow abortion coverage in employee or insurance related benefits packages
- Abortion is healthcare and a human right. All insurance related benefits must allow for abortion coverage. Having said that, I don’t believe that health care in general should be attached to employment status, which is one of many reasons why I believe in Medicare for All.
Neal believes pregnant people under the age of 18 years old should not be required to notify/receive consent from their parent or legal guardian prior to receiving abortion care or contraception
- Young people are most equipped to decide whom they involve in their care. Research shows that parental notification laws disproportionately impact young women of color and immigrant youth and often delay or prevent young people’s access. People under the age of 18 should make their own decisions for their own bodies.
Neal DOES NOT support government funding for anti-abortion counseling centers (also known as “fake clinics” or “crisis pregnancy centers”) that inaccurately portray themselves as unbiased, professional medical clinics
- These institutions target vulnerable populations with the intention of dissuading people from accessing an abortion. Typically, they seek to target women who are most likely to seek abortion, particularly low-income women and women of color These practices are designed to mislead abortion clinic clients and should not be funded by the federal government.
Neal supports Universal Healthcare as central in the fight to make sure healthcare, such as contraception is covered for all patients seeking its use.
- Contraception is healthcare and the use of such should be determined between a patient and their doctor, not dictated by if an individual can afford it at the discretion of their employer’s insurance coverage. Medicare for All would allow for contraception coverage. Health care should not be attached to employment status no matter what the healthcare need is.
Current Legislation Neal strongly supports:
H.R.2975 – Women’s Health Protection Act * – Protects a woman’s ability to determine whether and when to bear a child or end a pregnancy, and protects a health care provider’s ability to provide reproductive health care services, including abortion services.
H.R.7 – Paycheck Fairness Act – Addresses wage discrimination on the basis of sex.
H.R.2694 – Pregnant Workers Fairness Act – Eliminates discrimination and promotes women’s health and economic security by ensuring reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.
