August 1, 2025
Mr. Schatz (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Padilla, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Markey, Mr. Welch, Mr. Coons, Mr. Booker, and Mr. Van Hollen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to require a section on reproductive rights in the Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Reproductive Rights Are Human Rights Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. 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.
Sec. 3. Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
(a) In general
The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended—
(1)
in section 116(d) (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d)), by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
(2)
the status of reproductive rights in each country, including—
(A)
whether such country has adopted and enforced policies—
(i)
to promote access to safe, effective, and affordable methods of contraception and comprehensive, accurate, nondiscriminatory family planning and sexual health information;
(ii)
to promote access to a full range of quality health care services to ensure safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth free from violence and discrimination;
(iii)
to promote the equitable prevention, detection, and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and HPV, and of reproductive tract infections and reproductive cancers; and
(iv)
to expand or restrict access to safe abortion services or post-abortion care, or to criminalize pregnancy-related outcomes, including spontaneous miscarriages or pregnancies outside of marriage;
(B)
a description of the rates and causes of pregnancy-related injuries and deaths, including deaths due to unsafe abortions;
(C)
a description of—
(i)
the nature and extent of instances of discrimination, coercion, and violence against women, girls, and LGBTQI+ individuals in all settings where health care is provided, including in detention;
(ii)
the nature and extent of instances of discrimination, coercion, and violence against people with disabilities in all settings where reproductive health care is provided, including in institutions and detention settings;
(iii)
instances of obstetric violence, involuntary or coerced abortion, involuntary or coerced pregnancy, coerced sterilization, use of incentives or disincentives to lower or raise fertility, withholding of information on reproductive health options, and other forms of reproductive and sexual coercion; and
(iv)
the actions, if any, taken by the government of such country to respond to such discrimination, coercion, and violence, if applicable;
(D)
a description of—
(i)
the proportion of individuals of reproductive age (15 through 49 years of age) whose need for family planning is satisfied with modern methods;
(ii)
the barriers such individuals face in accessing such services;
(iii)
the nature and extent of instances of denial of comprehensive and accurate family planning information and services in such country; and
(iv)
the actions, if any, taken by the government of such country to address such denials; and
(E)
a description of—
(i)
disparities in access to family planning and reproductive health services and pregnancy-related health outcomes, including pregnancy-related injuries and deaths, based on race, ethnicity, indigenous status, language, religious affiliation, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, or other marginalized identity; and
(ii)
any measures taken by the government of such country to hold health systems accountable for addressing such disparities;; and
(2)
in section 502B (22 U.S.C. 2304)—
(A)
by redesignating the second subsection (i) (relating to child marriage status) as subsection (j); and
(B)
by adding at the end the following:
(k) Inclusion of status of reproductive rights in Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
The report required under subsection (b) shall include a description of the status of reproductive rights in each country, including—
(1)
whether such country has adopted and enforced policies—
(A)
to promote access to safe, effective, and affordable methods of contraception and comprehensive, accurate, non-discriminatory family planning and sexual health information;
(B)
to promote access to a full range of quality health care services to ensure safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth, free from violence and discrimination;
(C)
to promote the equitable prevention, detection, and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and HPV, and of reproductive tract infections and reproductive cancers; and
(D)
to expand or restrict access to safe abortion services or post-abortion care, or criminalize pregnancy-related outcomes, including spontaneous miscarriages and pregnancies outside of marriage;
(2)
a description of the rates and causes of pregnancy-related injuries and deaths, including deaths due to unsafe abortions;
(3)
a description of—
(A)
the nature and extent of instances of discrimination, coercion, and violence against women, girls and LGBTQI+ individuals in all settings where health care is provided, including in detention;
(B)
instances of coerced abortion, coerced pregnancy, coerced sterilization, use of incentives or disincentives to lower or raise fertility, withholding of information on reproductive health options, and other forms of reproductive and sexual coercion; and
(C)
the actions, if any, taken by the government of such country to respond to such discrimination, coercion, and violence, if applicable;
(4)
a description of—
(A)
the proportion of individuals of reproductive age (15 through 49 years of age) whose need for family planning is satisfied with modern methods;
(B)
the barriers such individuals face in accessing such services;
(C)
the nature and extent of instances of denial of comprehensive and accurate family planning information and services in such country; and
(D)
the actions, if any, taken by the government of such country to respond to such denials; and
(5)
a description of—
(A)
disparities in access to family planning and reproductive health services and pregnancy-related health outcomes, including pregnancy-related injuries and deaths, based on race, ethnicity, indigenous status, language, religious affiliation, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, or other marginalized identity; and
(B)
any measures taken by the government of such country to hold health systems accountable for addressing such disparities.
(b) Consultation required
In preparing the Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices required under sections 116(d) and 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended by subsection (a), the Secretary of State, the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, and other relevant officials, including human rights officers at United States diplomatic and consular posts, shall consult with—
(1)
representatives of United States civil society and multilateral organizations with demonstrated experience and expertise in sexual and reproductive health and rights or promoting the human rights of women, girls, and LGBTQI+ persons;
(2)
relevant local nongovernmental organizations in all countries included in such reports, including organizations serving women, girls, and LGBTQI+ persons that are focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights; and
(3)
relevant agencies and offices of the United States Government that track or are otherwise involved in the monitoring of reproductive and sexual health around the world.