Bill Summary
This proposed legislation, called the "Reproductive Rights are Human Rights Act of 2019", aims to make changes to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The main purpose of the bill is to add a section on reproductive rights to the Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which are compiled by the US Department of State. This section would require the reports to include information on countries' policies and actions related to promoting access to contraception, safe abortion, and sexual and reproductive health care. It also requires information on rates of maternal death, discrimination and violence against women in healthcare settings, and barriers to accessing family planning services. The bill also requires consultation with US civil society organizations and local organizations focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights in compiling the reports. The goal of this legislation is to recognize and emphasize the importance of reproductive rights as human rights and ensure that they are included in the US government's assessment of other countries' human rights practices.
Possible Impacts
1) The legislation may provide more resources and support for women and girls in developing countries to access safe and affordable reproductive health services, including contraception, prenatal care, and safe abortion, which can improve their overall health and well-being.
2) The legislation may increase transparency and accountability for countries that violate reproductive rights, by requiring them to report on their policies and actions taken to promote or restrict access to reproductive health services.
3) The legislation may face opposition and criticism from groups or individuals who are against abortion, as it includes provisions for safe and legal access to abortion in certain circumstances. This could lead to debates and protests surrounding the issue of reproductive rights and freedoms.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 707 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 707
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to include in the Annual
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices a section on reproductive
rights, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 7, 2019
Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Cardin,
Ms. Hassan, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Warren, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Markey, Ms.
Baldwin, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Leahy, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr.
Merkley, Ms. Smith, Mr. Brown, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Reed, Mr. Coons, Mr.
Durbin, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Booker,
Mr. Murphy, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Stabenow, and Mr. Schatz)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to include in the Annual
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices a section on reproductive
rights, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Reproductive Rights are Human Rights
Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States has joined the international
community in identifying reproductive rights as human rights,
including in connection with the 1994 International Conference
on Population and Development, the 1995 Beijing World
Conference on Women, and through its ratification of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
(2) General comment No. 36 (2018) on article 6 of the
ICCPR, which was adopted by the Human Rights Committee at its
October to November 2018 session, states that under Article 6
of the ICCPR, State parties have a duty to ensure that all
persons have the right to receive--
(A) evidence-based information and education about
sexual and reproductive health, and access to a range
of affordable contraceptive methods;
(B) safe, legal, and effective access to abortion
where the life and health of the pregnant woman or girl
is at risk, or where carrying a pregnancy to term would
cause the pregnant woman or girl substantial pain or
suffering, notably where pregnancy is the result of
rape or incest or is not viable; and, access to quality
prenatal and post-abortion health care; and
(C) access by women and girls to safe abortion
without the imposition of restrictions, which subject
them to physical or mental pain or suffering, or which
discriminate or arbitrarily interfere with their
privacy, or place them at risk of undertaking unsafe
abortions.
(3) The Department of State's deletion of the reproductive
rights subsection from its 2017 Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices demonstrates an alarming level of politicization of
human rights by the Trump Administration and undermines the
human rights of women around the world.
(4) When women's reproductive rights are limited, so are
their pathways to economic, social, and political empowerment.
(5) Sexual health and reproductive rights are essential for
sustainable economic development, are intrinsically linked to
gender equality and women's well-being, and are critical to
maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, family, and community
health.
SEC. 3. ANNUAL COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES.
(a) In General.--The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended--
(1) in section 116(d) (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d))--
(A) in paragraph (11)(C), by striking ``and'' at
the end;
(B) in paragraph (12)(C)(ii), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(13) the status of reproductive rights in each country,
including--
``(A) whether such country has adopted and enforced
policies to--
``(i) promote access to and prevalence of,
safe, effective, and affordable methods of
contraception and comprehensive and accurate
family planning information;
``(ii) promote access to appropriate health
care services to prevent maternal deaths and
ensure safe and healthy pregnancy and
childbirth;
``(iii) expand or restrict access to safe
abortion services, including post-abortion
care, in accordance with the country's laws;
and
``(iv) promote the prevention, detection,
and treatment of sexually transmitted
infections, including HIV, and of reproductive
tract infections and of reproductive cancers;
``(B) a description of the rates and causes of
maternal deaths in such country, including deaths due
to unsafe abortions, where applicable;
``(C) a description of the nature and extent of
instances of discrimination, coercion, and violence
against women and girls in health care settings in such
country, and the actions, if any, taken by the
government of such country to respond to such
discrimination, coercion, and violence, where
applicable; and
``(D) wherever applicable, a description of the
proportion of women of reproductive age (aged 15-49
years) who have their need for family planning
satisfied with modern methods, the barriers to access,
and the nature and extent of instances of denial of
comprehensive and accurate family planning information
and services in such country, and the actions, if any,
taken by the government of such country to respond to
such denials.''; and
(2) in section 502B (22 U.S.C. 2304)--
(A) by redesignating the second subsection (i)
(relating to child marriage status) as subsection (j);
and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(k) The report required under subsection (b) shall include the
status of reproductive rights in each country, including--
``(1) whether such country has adopted and enforced
policies to--
``(A) promote access to and prevalence of safe,
effective, and affordable methods of contraception and
comprehensive and accurate family planning information;
``(B) promote access to appropriate health care
services to prevent maternal deaths and ensure safe and
healthy pregnancy and childbirth;
``(C) expand or restrict access to safe abortion
services, including post-abortion care, in accordance
with the country's laws; and
``(D) promote the prevention, detection, and
treatment of sexually transmitted infections, including
HIV, and of reproductive tract infections and of
reproductive cancers;
``(2) a description of the rates and causes of maternal
deaths in such country, including deaths due to unsafe
abortions, where applicable;
``(3) a description of the nature and extent of
discrimination, coercion, and violence against women and girls
in health care settings in such country, and the actions, if
any, taken by the government of such country to respond to such
discrimination, coercion, and violence, where applicable; and
``(4) wherever applicable, a description of the proportion
of women of reproductive age (aged 15-49 years) who have their
need for family planning satisfied with modern methods, the
barriers to access, and the nature and extent of instances of
denial of comprehensive and accurate family planning
information and services in such country, and the actions, if
any, taken by the government of such country to respond to such
denials.''.
(b) Consultation Required.--In preparing the Annual Country Reports
on Human Rights Practices required under sections 116(d) and 502B of
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as amended by subsection (a)), the
Secretary of State, the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy,
Human Rights, and Labor, and other relevant officials, including human
rights officers at United States diplomatic and consular posts, shall
consult with--
(1) representatives of United States civil society and
multilateral organizations with demonstrated experience and
expertise in sexual and reproductive health and rights or
promoting women and girls' human rights, including local civil
society organizations whenever possible; and
(2) relevant, local, non-governmental organizations in all
countries included in such Reports, including women and girls'
organizations focused on sexual and reproductive health and
rights.
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