Washington, D.C. – Today, on the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced two important pieces of legislation to expand and improve women’s healthcare and family planning services at home and around the world. 

Senator Boxer’s first bill would overturn what is known as the Bush Administration’s “Mexico City Policy,” or the “Global Gag Rule.” 

Under the gag rule, international organizations that provide family planning services with their own funds are prohibited from receiving U.S. assistance if they provide legal abortion services or even counseling or referrals. They also cannot receive funds if they publicly support abortion rights.  Senator Boxer’s The Global Democracy Promotion Act would end this policy.

Boxer said, “The Global Gag Rule is inherently undemocratic because it restricts what organizations can do or say with their own funds.  If applied in the United States, it would violate the First Amendment right to free speech.  Ending this unfair policy is long overdue, and I am very optimistic that we will finally repeal the gag rule under President Obama.” 

Senator Boxer has long championed overturning this undemocratic policy—the Senate last passed Senator Boxer’s amendment to repeal the gag rule in 2007. 

Boxer’s second piece of legislation—The Affordable Care for Women Act—would make more women’s health and family planning centers eligible for the 340B Drug Purchasing Program, which guarantees that certain safety net providers can purchase prescription drugs at discounted prices.

While the majority of family planning clinics are eligible for 340B discounted drugs, there are still hundreds of family planning and women’s health centers that are currently ineligible for the program because they do not receive federal funding under certain provisions of the Public Health Service Act. 

Boxer said, “For millions of women across the country, women’s health and family planning centers are one of their only options for affordable care.  At a time when families and social service providers are struggling in this terrible economy, this bill will make prescription drugs more affordable to women’s health and family planning centers and the women they serve.”

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