A House Republican from New York, Rep. Marc Molinaro, has accused his Democratic colleague, Rep. Kathy Manning, of preventing him from cosponsoring a pro-contraception bill. The bill in question is the Right to Contraception Act, introduced by Manning, which aims to protect individuals' access to birth control and healthcare providers' ability to offer contraception.
Molinaro, a Freshman House member, claims that his opponent in the New York 19th District race, Josh Riley, is using this issue against him in attack ads. Molinaro shared emails from his staff to Manning, showing multiple requests to be added as a cosponsor of the bill.
Despite Molinaro's requests, Manning allegedly denied his cosponsorship and instead asked him to sign a discharge petition to force a vote on the bill. The petition, launched in June, aimed to secure 218 House members' signatures to bring the Right to Contraception Act to the House Floor.
In response, Molinaro criticized Manning for not accepting bipartisan support and accused her of playing politics. He reiterated his support for a woman's right to choose and clarified his stance on abortion, emphasizing that he opposes a national ban on abortion.
Riley, Molinaro's opponent, has accused him of voting to restrict abortion access 13 times. Molinaro refuted these claims, stating that the votes were procedural and aimed at maintaining existing standards of access without federal funding for abortions.
Despite the controversy, Molinaro made headlines by becoming one of the first GOP members of Congress to endorse the Access to Family Building Act. This legislation supports in vitro fertilization treatment and legally equates frozen embryos with children under state law.
The Right to Contraception Act faced a setback in the Senate, where it failed to advance with a 51-39 vote against it. The bill's language emphasizes protecting individuals' rights to contraception and healthcare providers' ability to offer such services.
