U.S. Senate blocks Right to Contraception Act

WASHINGTON (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - The U.S. Senate blocked the Right to Contraception Act on Wednesday in a 51 to 39 vote.

The vote was largely along party lines, with only two Republicans voting in favor of the bill.

Advocates of the bill said it would guarantee the right for people to obtain and use contraceptives, as well as for healthcare providers to prescribe them.

Following the vote, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) released a statement saying:

"In the absence of federal protections around reproductive freedoms, states are on the frontlines of shaping the full spectrum of reproductive care. Disturbingly, Republicans at the state level are intensifying attacks on birth control at an alarming speed, even though contraception is safe, effective, and used by 90 percent of women. To stop this anti-woman MAGA agenda from taking hold, building Democratic power in the states is essential. We must take our outrage to state legislative elections and vote for Democrats who have a proven record of protecting fundamental freedoms. Today is a stark reminder of what we’ve known since Dobbs: state legislatures are now the true arbiters of reproductive rights and freedoms."

DLCC also says for the state of Arizona, "every Republican in both legislative chambers blocked legislation to protect access to contraception."

However, DLCC says more than 10 states already have legal protections for birth control, including California.