[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 703 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 703

  Designating a day in May 2024, as ``Disability Reproductive Equity 
                                 Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 23, 2024

 Ms. Duckworth (for herself, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Welch, Mr. 
Markey, Ms. Smith, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Stabenow, 
 Mr. Casey, and Mr. Booker) submitted the following resolution; which 
             was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Designating a day in May 2024, as ``Disability Reproductive Equity 
                                 Day''.

Whereas, in the United States, there are approximately 1 in 4 adults with 
        disabilities, 1 in 10 people with disabilities who are able to become 
        pregnant, and approximately 4,100,000 parents with disabilities;
Whereas this country has witnessed a long history of reproductive coercion 
        impacting people with disabilities, including through the discriminatory 
        Supreme Court decision Buck v. Bell, 274 U.S. 200 (1927), which upheld 
        State laws authorizing involuntary sterilization of people with 
        disabilities and which has never been overturned;
Whereas 31 States and Washington, DC currently have laws explicitly allowing the 
        forced sterilization of people with disabilities;
Whereas people with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in 
        congregate care facilities are at an increased risk of physical and 
        sexual abuse, and the majority of these abuses go unreported;
Whereas women with disabilities are almost twice as likely as women without 
        disabilities to experience sexual violence in their lifetime;
Whereas people with disabilities face unique barriers when accessing 
        reproductive health care and exercising their reproductive and sexual 
        health, autonomy, and freedom, including--

    (1) harmful stereotypes about, and attitudes towards, people with 
disabilities;

    (2) legal barriers and lack of consent due to guardianship;

    (3) financial barriers;

    (4) language and communication barriers;

    (5) delays in receiving preventative services;

    (6) a lack of accessible health care facilities, medical diagnostic 
equipment, and travel; and

    (7) a lack of health care providers with training on, and knowledge of, 
the needs of people with disabilities receiving reproductive health care;

Whereas people with and without disabilities want children at the same 
        frequency, but people with disabilities are less likely to receive 
        contraception counseling and timely prenatal care, experience a higher 
        rate of sterilization, and are at a greater risk for adverse pregnancy 
        outcomes;
Whereas an ongoing legacy of reproductive oppression of people with 
        disabilities, especially women with disabilities, people of color with 
        disabilities, people with disabilities with low incomes, and LGBTQI+ 
        people with disabilities, has deprived many of their reproductive 
        autonomy;
Whereas nearly 2 years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 
        113 (1973) in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, 142 S. Ct. 
        2228 (2022), nearly 3,000,000 reproductive-aged women with disabilities 
        live in States that have, or are likely to have, abortion bans;
Whereas State laws and court decisions in at least 21 States have restricted 
        access to reproductive health care, including abortion care, 
        disproportionally harming people who already face barriers to 
        reproductive health care, including people with disabilities;
Whereas section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), titles II 
        and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 
        et seq.; 42 U.S.C. 12181 et seq.), and section 1557 of the Patient 
        Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18116) prohibit 
        discrimination against people with disabilities and provide them with 
        the right to equitably access and receive health care; and
Whereas all people, including people with disabilities, have the right to decide 
        if, when, and how to start and raise a family: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates a day in May 2024, as ``Disability 
        Reproductive Equity Day'' to support and bring awareness to the 
        right of people with disabilities to reproductive and sexual 
        health, autonomy, and freedom;
            (2) pledges to advance the right of people with 
        disabilities to reproductive and sexual health, autonomy, and 
        freedom; and
            (3) calls on the President to continue to fulfill the 
        promise of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with 
        Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Patient Protection and 
        Affordable Care Act to support, bolster, and protect the right 
        of people with disabilities to reproductive and sexual health, 
        autonomy, and freedom.
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