Reproductive Rights
Throughout his time in public service, Congressman Larson has been on the frontlines of the fight to secure reproductive rights for women in Connecticut and across the country. Over his 40 years of public service, Rep. Larson has championed first-of-its-kind legislation to protect the right to abortion access, supported legislation that removes financial barriers to contraceptives and stood up for women in post-Roe America. He is proud to have a 100% voting record from Planned Parenthood and Reproductive Freedom For All (formerly NARAL).
Abortion Rights in the Connecticut State Senate
In 1990, Connecticut enshrined a woman’s right to an abortion in state law, the first state in the nation to do so. As State Senate President, Rep. Larson worked with Patti Russo of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, Susan Nolan of Planned Parenthood, and Judy Bly of NARAL CT, who recognized that with Larson’s support, they had an opportunity to pass this legislation to codify Roe into state law, and protect women’s reproductive freedom against the potential of a future conservative Supreme Court. Through his leadership position in the State Senate, the Congressman played a critical role in shepherding the bill to the floor for a vote, and gathering votes for its passage. Thanks to the foresight and efforts of these advocates, Connecticut residents were protected when Roe v. Wade was overturned over 30 years later.
In the United States House of Representatives
Rep. Larson brought this same commitment to Washington, standing up against the Republican attempts to weaken abortion access during the Bush and Obama Administration eras. The Congressman voted against bills like the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, that would’ve recognized a fetus as a human being at any stage of the pregnancy, opening the door for Republicans to arrest woman and abortion providers. He continually opposed Republican attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, including voting against the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act in 2011 and opposing the first Trump Administration’s domestic “gag rule."
Rep. Larson helped introduce legislation to remove financial barriers to abortion access, like the EACH Woman Act, to repeal the Hyde Amendment and allow for Medicaid, Medicare, and CHIP recipients to receive federally funded abortion care, and the Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act, which would require employers to offer healthcare insurance plans that cover contraceptive costs after the Supreme Court and first Trump Administration opened the door to eliminating coverage.
In a Post-Roe America
After the disastrous Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, Rep. Larson is fighting to do at the federal level what he did in Connecticut: ensure that every woman has the right to an abortion. He helped introduce the Women’s Health Protection Act which would do just that. In addition, he is cosponsoring legislation that would ensure our rights in Connecticut remain safe:
The EACH Act (Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance) would require federal health care programs to provide coverage for abortion services and requires federal facilities to provide access to those services.