Morning-After Pill Bill [Passed]

[Ebowed]

Currently, a woman cannot obtain emergency contraception without a prescription, and underaged women need not only a prescription but authorization from a parent before using the morning-after pill.  If people agree that it is desirable to reduce the overall number of abortions performed, surely they can agree that removing cumbersome restrictions on emergency contraception is a good idea.

[Ebowed]

You need to strike Clause 4 at the same time, since it exists only to clarify Clause 3.

Well, the purpose of obstructionism is to draw out the debate for as long as possible, so I assume that amendment would simply come later.

[Ebowed]

Nay

[Ebowed]

I motion for an amendment to add a new section (5) to this bill with the following language:

5.  The Federal Government shall fund $50 million to the Department of Health to study the effects of the morning-after pill over time on women who have used the morning-after pill.

I would argue quite strongly against this amendment.  Firstly, this investment is extreme pork barrell spending-- this is more than is currently being funded for all sorts of valuable medical, social and scientific research.  Secondly, a woman will not take the morning-after pill on a regular basis; most who use emergency contraception usually only use it once.  Thus, there is no measurable "effect" for this grant to actually study.  As there are no reported cases of women overdosing on emergency contraception, I cannot see a rationale to fund such an expensive and seemingly partisan (against contraception) study.

[Ebowed]

The morning after pill has been on the market for, what, decades?

Aren't its "health effects" well documented by now?

Exactly.  It has already been approved for over-the-counter use by the real-life FDA, and by most other western governments.

There are essentially no health risks with one-time, or irregular use of emergency contraception.

[Ebowed]

Nay

[Ebowed]

Aye

[Ebowed]

Aye