Slotkin Advocates for Contraception Access in Military Families

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Elissa Slotkin, a Democratic U.S. Representative from Michigan, has co-sponsored a bill to guarantee military families access to contraception and has a history of advocating for reproductive rights, including co-sponsoring the Women’s Health Protection Act and the Right to Contraception Act. Slotkin’s opponent in the Senate race, former U.S. Representative Mike Rogers, has consistently supported anti-abortion legislation, including fetal personhood laws and efforts to restrict medication abortion. Slotkin emphasizes the importance of protecting reproductive health for military women, especially following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and contrasts her stance with the long-term Republican strategy to limit reproductive rights.

Michigan Democratic U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin has signed on as an original co-sponsor of a bill to guarantee access to contraception for U.S. military members and their families. In her three terms in Congress, Slotkin has consistently worked to protect reproductive rights.

Slotkin is the Democratic nominee in the upcoming election to fill the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Her Republican opponent, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, has supported abortion bans and fetal personhood legislation.

The Access to Contraception for Servicemembers and Dependents Act, reintroduced in the House on Sept. 27 by Democratic Rep. Veronica Esobar, ensures service members and their families enrolled in Tricare have access to contraception without cost sharing. It also creates a family planning education program and guarantees emergency contraception for sexual assault survivors at military facilities. Slotkin co-sponsored the same bill in the last Congress, where it stalled in committee.

“Issues like contraception for service members rarely came up in Congress before Roe was overturned,” Slotkin told the Michigan Independent. “Now, it’s crucial to protect the reproductive health of our women in uniform. This legislation ensures service women and military families have access to contraception and family planning because it’s essential for their healthcare.”

Slotkin also co-sponsors the Women’s Health Protection Act, restoring the right to abortion under Roe v. Wade, and the Right to Contraception Act.

“Overturning Roe v. Wade was the 50-year goal of the Republican side,” she told the ‘Gander. “They’re also trying to limit access to medication abortion, define ‘personhood’ at fertilization, and restrict travel for women seeking abortions, impacting military women on bases.”

Rogers served in the House from 2001 to 2015. He voted against reproductive rights consistently. Rogers co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act, giving legal rights to fetuses, and the RU-486 Suspension and Review Act, aiming to withdraw FDA approval of mifepristone, a key medication in abortions.