Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced the Equal Access to Reproductive Care Act, legislation to ensure LGBTQ individuals receive equal access to reproductive health care services.
“Americans, including LGBTQ Americans, should have the freedom to start or expand a family without additional financial and systemic barriers that make it harder to afford reproductive health care services. This bill is crucial in correcting outdated tax laws in order to support LGBTQ individuals in family planning care,” said Senator Schiff.
“The Los Angeles LGBT Center applauds Senator Schiff for championing the Equal Access to Reproductive Care Act. For far too long, LGBTQ+ families—especially families of color—have faced steep financial and legal barriers to building the futures they envision. This bill is a powerful step toward affirming that reproductive freedom includes the right to parent, no matter who you are or who you love. We’re proud to support legislation that moves us closer to a future where queer and trans families are seen, protected, and treated with dignity under the law,” said Joey Espinoza-Hernandez, Director of Policy & Community Building, Los Angeles LGBT Center.
“The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) is a proud sponsor of the Equal Access to Reproductive Care Act. NHeLP has a long history of working to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services that focus on the needs of people who are low-income, have disabilities, are BIPOC, and/or are LGBTQI. This is a bill that reflects our values of health equity and justice for everyone as well as aligns with our Principles on Assisted Reproduction, which establish that health coverage programs should cover assistance reproduction and cost should not be a barrier,” said Fabiola De Liban, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health.
Many LGBTQ taxpayers are currently denied the ability to deduct medical expenses for these treatments under current law. This bill modernizes the federal tax code to support and provide every individual, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, relationship status, or ability status, equal treatment when seeking reproductive health care services, such as IVF and surrogacy.
Schiff first introduced this legislation with Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif-28) in 2022 while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bill is endorsed by the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Center for Reproductive Rights, COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere), Equality California, Equality Federation, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the National Health Law Program, the National Partnership for Women & Families, and Silver State Equality.
Full text of the bill is available here.
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