Make your voice heard! When you join with other constituents in contacting your members of Congress, you become part of a powerful movement advocating for increased funding for international family planning. Signing petitions and making phone calls directly to your elected representatives are two ways you can join our nation-wide grassroots network of activists.
Send Messages to Your Members of Congress
Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights (HER) Act
Before President Biden rescinded it at the beginning of his presidency, the Global Gag Rule banned U.S. assistance for health care providers who even mention the word abortion. As a result, clinics closed. People were forced to seek unsafe abortions, with sometimes deadly consequences. And communities were left stranded without access to comprehensive health care.
We must make sure that no future president can ever unilaterally impose the Global Gag Rule again. That’s what the Global HER Act does. It will block such a reimposition and provide needed stability to health care providers and the people in vulnerable communities around the world who they serve.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) reintroduced the Global HER Act in the House on March 28, 2023, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) reintroduced it in the Senate on March 30, 2023.
Urge your representative and senators to co-sponsor the Global HER Act (H.R.1838, S.1098) to permanently repeal the Global Gag Rule!
Contact members of CongressAbortion Is Health Care Everywhere Act
For over 50 years, the Helms Amendment has prevented people overseas from having access to safe abortion. Passed in 1973 and reauthorized every year since, it prohibits any U.S. foreign aid from being used for safe abortion under any circumstance, including in cases of rape, incest, or threat to the patient’s life.
In a world where 23,000 – 31,000 women die every year from unsafe abortion, Helms is bad health policy and bad foreign policy.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Abortion Is Health Care Everywhere Act in their respective houses of Congress on March 22, 2023. This bill—the first of its kind—would repeal the Helms Amendment and allow U.S. foreign assistance to fund safe abortion.
Encourage your representative and senators to co-sponsor the Abortion Is Health Care Everywhere Act (H.R.1723, S.929) to repeal the Helms Amendment!
Contact members of CongressSupport UNFPA Funding Act
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) works diligently to bring reproductive health services to people who are most in need, such as those in crisis and disaster settings. That’s why Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) reintroduced the Support UNFPA Funding Act on June 15, 2023.
The Support UNFPA Funding Act authorizes needed investments—for the next five years—in UNFPA’s crucial work to address unmet need for contraceptives, eliminate preventable maternal deaths, end gender-based violence, abolish harmful practices like female genital mutilation and child marriage, and support humanitarian efforts in areas affected by crises.
Ask your representative to co-sponsor the Support UNFPA Funding Act (H.R.4166) to ensure that this critical agency can rely on U.S. support!
Contact House representativeWomen's Health Protection Act (WHPA)
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion in the United States when it overturned Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
That’s why Congress needs to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), more urgently than ever before. WHPA will codify the federal right to abortion, preventing state governments from imposing onerous and unnecessary restrictions on a safe, common, and often necessary medical procedure.
Urge your representative and senators to support the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R.12, S.701) to reinstate Americans’ right to abortion regardless of their state of residence!
Contact members of CongressIncrease International Family Planning Investment
Expanding access to family planning services is one of the most important and effective ways to improve global health, ease poverty, increase opportunity, and preserve resources. And it’s central to ensuring human rights.
Stagnating funding of just over $600 million, the Covid-19 pandemic, and worldwide inflation have stressed health care providers everywhere. U.S. funding has been inadequate for decades—undermining our key global priorities. Indeed, the funding high point occurred in 2010 and has not only failed to keep pace with inflation, but has fallen by more than $100 million. In fact, if our funding level in 2010 had simply risen with inflation, we would be providing nearly $1 billion today. And that still would fall short of the need.
Few investments bring the kind of return in terms of improved maternal and child health, expanded economic development, increased stability, and resource conservation that family planning does.
Encourage your members of Congress to support providing $1.74 billion for international family planning programs!
Contact members of CongressRight to Contraception Act
The Right to Contraception Act enshrines a statutory right for all Americans to obtain and use the contraceptives that best meet their needs. The bill prohibits any requirement that impedes the provision of contraceptives or contraception-related information, as well as health care providers or facilities that administer contraception and related information. It further bars any limitation that hinders access to contraceptives or contraception-related information. If enacted, this bill will apply to both the federal and state governments. Neither the federal government nor any state government would be able to enforce any law that conflicts with this act after the date of its enactment.
Despite the enormous benefits that access to contraceptives has brought to people, especially women and girls, across the United States and around the world, the Senate failed to pass a cloture motion in June 2024, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance it to a floor vote (51–39).
Tell your members of Congress to support access to contraception for all by co-sponsoring the Right to Contraception Act (S.4381 / H.R.4121)!
Contact members of CongressContact Your Members of Congress Directly
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If you’d like to speak with the offices of your senators and representative, you can call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and the operator will put you through to your members of Congress.