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Before President Biden rescinded it at the beginning of his presidency, the Global Gag Rule banned U.S. assistance for health care providers who even mention the word abortion.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.
Ask your senators and representative to co-sponsor the Global HER Act to permanently repeal the Global Gag Rule!
Contact members of CongressAbortion Is Health Care Everywhere Act
For 50 years, the Helms Amendment has prevented people overseas from having access to safe abortion. Passed in 1973 and reauthorized every year since, it prevents any U.S. foreign aid from being used for safe abortion under any voluntary circumstance.
In a world where 23,000 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 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.
Ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor this critical bill!
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 like Haiti and Afghanistan. That’s why Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) introduced the Support UNFPA Funding Act on June 16, 2021.
The Support UNFPA Funding Act authorizes needed investments—for the next five years—in UNFPA’s crucial work to eliminate the unmet need for contraceptives, to end preventable maternal deaths, to end gender based violence, to abolish harmful practices like female genital mutilation and child marriage, and to support humanitarian efforts in areas affected by crises.
Please urge your representative to co-sponsor the Support UNFPA Funding Act (H.R. 3938) to ensure that this critical agency can rely on U.S. support!
Women'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.
The House of Representatives passed WHPA (H.R.3755) in September 2021. The House passed an updated post-Roe version of the bill (H.R.8296) in July 2022. Now the Senate must pass WHPA as well.
Tell your senators to vote for WHPA (S.4132) to re-establish federal protections for abortion rights and access!
Contact senatorsIncrease 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.
Stagnant funding at 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. But 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.
Tell your members of Congress to support providing $1.74 billion for international family planning programs!
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.