119-hres65

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 65 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 65

Reaffirming the freedom to decide and expressing continued support for 
 medication abortion access.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 24, 2025

 Mr. Gottheimer submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
 to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
 fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

Reaffirming the freedom to decide and expressing continued support for 
 medication abortion access.

Whereas antiabortion extremists are desperate to ban abortion nationwide and are 
 trying to misuse a centuries-old zombie law to achieve their goals;
Whereas there is a settled understanding of the Comstock Act for nearly a 
 century, and the Department of Justice, the courts, and Congress have 
 made clear that the Comstock laws do not apply to lawful abortions;
Whereas the majority of the public supports abortion access, and an overwhelming 
 majority of Americans (80 percent) oppose a Federal law banning abortion 
 nationwide;
Whereas antiabortion extremists are waging a war on reproductive rights, 
 including the ability to make personal, private health care decisions;
Whereas misusing, misapplying, and misinterpreting the Comstock Act would be yet 
 another attempt to attack access to medication abortion, a safe and 
 effective health care option;
Whereas misusing, misapplying, and misinterpreting the Comstock Act could 
 threaten certain shipping and transportation of basic medical materials; 
 and
Whereas misusing, misapplying, and misinterpreting the Comstock Act could 
 further threaten and endanger sexual and reproductive health: Now, 
 therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

    (1) affirms the existing authority to distribute medication 
 abortion under Federal law, as confirmed by the December 23, 
 2022, Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel 
 Memorandum Opinion for the General Counsel of the United States 
 Postal Service which states in part that ``

Section 1461 of 
 title 18 of the U.S. Code does not prohibit the mailing of 
 certain drugs that can be used to perform abortions where the 
 sender lacks the intent that the recipient of the drugs will 
 use them unlawfully.''; and

    (2) condemns restrictions on access to and coverage of 
 reproductive health care, including medication abortion like 
 mifepristone.
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