Findings; sense of Congress

(a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The United States has joined the international community in identifying reproductive rights as human rights, including in connection with— (A) the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, done at New York December 21, 1965; (B) the ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, done at New York December 19, 1966 (referred to in this Act as ICCPR); (C) the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, done at New York December 10, 1984; (D) the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development; and (E) the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women. (2) General comment No. 36 (2018) on article 6 of the ICCPR, which was adopted by the Human Rights Committee on October 30, 2018, asserts that States parties— (A) should ensure access for all persons to quality and evidence-based information and education about sexual and reproductive health and to a wide range of affordable contraceptive methods; (B) must provide safe, legal, and effective access to abortion where the life and health of the pregnant woman or girl is at risk, or where carrying a pregnancy to term would cause the pregnant woman or girl substantial pain or suffering, most notably where pregnancy is the result of rape or incest or where the pregnancy is not viable; (C) ensure the availability of, and effective access to, quality prenatal and post-abortion health care for women and girls; and (D) must not impose restrictions on the ability of women or girls to seek abortion in a manner that jeopardize[s] their lives, subject[s] them to physical or mental pain or suffering, discriminate[s] against them or arbitrarily interfere[s] with their privacy to ensure that women and girls do not have to resort to unsafe abortions. (3) The World Health Organization Abortion Care Guidelines (2022) asserts comprehensive abortion care includes the provision of information, abortion management (including induced abortion), and care related to pregnancy loss/spontaneous abortion and post-abortion care, and requires supportive law and policy, including— (A) full decriminalization of abortion; (B) repeal of laws and regulations that restrict abortion by reasons, prohibit abortion based on gestational limits, and require mandatory waiting periods; (C) availability of abortion on the request of the woman, girl or other pregnant person and without the need for authorization from any other person, body, or institution; (D) ending regulations that limit who can provide and manage abortion care that are inconsistent with World Health Organization guidance; and (E) protection of abortion access from barriers created by conscientious refusal. (4) Reproductive coercion, which is any behavior that interferes with autonomous decision making about reproductive health outcomes, is a violation of human rights. (5) Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex persons (LGBTQI+) face stigma and discrimination in accessing reproductive health services and barriers, including anti-LGBTQI+ laws, policies, and gender norms in many countries. (6) People with disabilities have historically been subjected to forced sterilization and coercive abortion practices, eugenics, institutionalization, or guardianship practices that stripped them of their right to autonomy, and barriers to comprehensive reproductive care, including denial of fertility care, access to comprehensive sex education, contraception, and abortion care, and often face disrespect during pregnancy and birth. (7) Human rights are grounded in international standards. The Department of State’s deletion of the reproductive rights subsection from its 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices inappropriately politicized human rights of people around the world. (8) The dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will severely undermine global reproductive health outcomes by disrupting funding for contraception, maternal healthcare, and safe childbirth services. USAID’s programs are critical in reducing maternal and infant mortality, preventing unintended pregnancies, and ensuring access to care for marginalized communities worldwide. (9) Limiting reproductive rights also limits pathways to economic, social, and political empowerment. Sexual and reproductive health and rights are essential for sustainable economic development, are intrinsically linked to gender equality and women’s well-being, and are critical to community health. (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the denial of access to sexual and reproductive health care and associated human rights violations due to the barriers described in paragraphs (5) and (6) of subsection (a) should be reported in relevant Department of State Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.