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Reaffirming the freedom to decide and expressing continued support for medication abortion access.
Reaffirming the freedom to decide and expressing continued support for medication abortion access.
Summary
This House resolution affirms that existing federal law permits the mailing and distribution of medication abortion drugs, citing a 2022 Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel memorandum that stated federal mailing restrictions do not prohibit sending abortion drugs when the sender does not intend for unlawful use. The resolution condemns restrictions on access to and coverage of reproductive health care, including medication abortion such as mifepristone. The resolution expresses concern that misinterpretation of the Comstock Act (a centuries-old law) could threaten medication abortion access and the shipment of medical materials. As a House resolution, it expresses the House's position but does not create binding law.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Josh Gottheimer’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- BLACKSTONE $116,700
- APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT $71,500
- KKR & CO INC. $50,600
- CENTERVIEW PARTNERS $25,000
- FORTRESS INVESTMENT GROUP $23,200
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Josh Gottheimer → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Jan 24, 2025 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. · house
- Jan 24, 2025 Submitted in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
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. <all>
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