,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #gjg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #g1 #bjai ,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,ms4 ,hassan1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,mr4 ,leahy1 ,mrs4 ,feinstein1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,mr4 ,whitehouse1 ,mr4 ,reed1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,ms4 ,harris1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,ms4 ,rosen1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 and ,mr4 ,schatz7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa to include in the ,annual ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices a section on reproductive rights1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,reproductive ,rights are ,human ,rights ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states has joined the international community in identifying reproductive rights as human rights1 including in connection with the #aiid ,international ,conference on ,population and ,development1 the #aiie ,beijing ,world ,conference on ,women1 and through its ratification of the ,international ,covenant on ,civil and ,political ,rights 7,,iccpr74 7#b7 ,general comment ,no4 #cf 7#bjah7 on article #f of the ,,iccpr1 which was adopted by the ,human ,rights ,committee at its ,october to ,november #bjah session1 states that under ,article #f of the ,,iccpr1 ,state parties have a duty to ensure that all persons have the right to receive-- 7,a7 evidence-based information and education about sexual and reproductive health1 and access to a range of affordable contraceptive methods2 7,b7 safe1 legal1 and effective access to abortion where the life and health of the pregnant woman or girl is at risk1 or where carrying a pregnancy to term would cause the pregnant woman or girl substantial pain or suffering1 notably where pregnancy is the result of rape or incest or is not viable2 and1 access to quality prenatal and post-abortion health care2 and 7,c7 access by women and girls to safe abortion without the imposition of restrictions1 which subject them to physical or mental pain or suffering1 or which discriminate or arbitrarily interfere with their privacy1 or place them at risk of undertaking unsafe abortions4 7#c7 ,the ,department of ,state's deletion of the reproductive rights subsection from its #bjag ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices demonstrates an alarming level of politicization of human rights by the ,trump ,administration and undermines the human rights of women around the world4 7#d7 ,when women's reproductive rights are limited1 so are their pathways to economic1 social1 and political empowerment4 7#e7 ,sexual health and reproductive rights are essential for sustainable economic development1 are intrinsically linked to gender equality and women's well-being1 and are critical to maternal1 newborn1 child1 adolescent1 family1 and community health4 #c4 ,annual country reports on human rights practices 7a7 ,in general ,the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa is amended-- 7#a7 in section #aaf7;d7 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baean7d77-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#aa77;,c71 by striking and at the end2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#ab77;,c77ii71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#ac7 the status of reproductive rights in each country1 including-- 7,a7 whether such country has adopted and enforced policies to-- 7i7 promote access to and prevalence of1 safe1 effective1 and affordable methods of contraception and comprehensive and accurate family planning information2 7ii7 promote access to appropriate health care services to prevent maternal deaths and ensure safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth2 7iii7 expand or restrict access to safe abortion services1 including post-abortion care1 in accordance with the country's laws2 and 7iv7 promote the prevention1 detection1 and treatment of sexually transmitted infections1 including ,,hiv1 and of reproductive tract infections and of reproductive cancers2 7,b7 a description of the rates and causes of maternal deaths in such country1 including deaths due to unsafe abortions1 where applicable2 7,c7 a description of the nature and extent of instances of discrimination1 coercion1 and violence against women and girls in health care settings in such country1 and the actions1 if any1 taken by the government of such country to respond to such discrimination1 coercion1 and violence1 where applicable2 and 7,d7 wherever applicable1 a description of the proportion of women of reproductive age 7aged #ae-di years7 who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods1 the barriers to access1 and the nature and extent of instances of denial of comprehensive and accurate family planning information and services in such country1 and the actions1 if any1 taken by the government of such country to respond to such denials4 2 and 7#b7 in section #ejb;,b 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bcjd7-- 7,a7 by redesignating the second subsection 7i7 7relating to child marriage status7 as subsection 7j72 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7k7 ,the report required under subsection 7b7 shall include the status of reproductive rights in each country1 including-- 7#a7 whether such country has adopted and enforced policies to-- 7,a7 promote access to and prevalence of safe1 effective1 and affordable methods of contraception and comprehensive and accurate family planning information2 7,b7 promote access to appropriate health care services to prevent maternal deaths and ensure safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth2 7,c7 expand or restrict access to safe abortion services1 including post-abortion care1 in accordance with the country's laws2 and 7,d7 promote the prevention1 detection1 and treatment of sexually transmitted infections1 including ,,hiv1 and of reproductive tract infections and of reproductive cancers2 7#b7 a description of the rates and causes of maternal deaths in such country1 including deaths due to unsafe abortions1 where applicable2 7#c7 a description of the nature and extent of discrimination1 coercion1 and violence against women and girls in health care settings in such country1 and the actions1 if any1 taken by the government of such country to respond to such discrimination1 coercion1 and violence1 where applicable2 and 7#d7 wherever applicable1 a description of the proportion of women of reproductive age 7aged #ae-di years7 who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods1 the barriers to access1 and the nature and extent of instances of denial of comprehensive and accurate family planning information and services in such country1 and the actions1 if any1 taken by the government of such country to respond to such denials4 4 7b7 ,consultation required ,in preparing the ,annual ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices required under sections #aaf7;d7 and #ejb;,b of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7as amended by subsection 7a771 the ,secretary of ,state1 the ,assistant ,secretary of ,state for ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 and ,labor1 and other relevant officials1 including human rights officers at ,united ,states diplomatic and consular posts1 shall consult with-- 7#a7 representatives of ,united ,states civil society and multilateral organizations with demonstrated experience and expertise in sexual and reproductive health and rights or promoting women and girls' human rights1 including local civil society organizations whenever possible2 and 7#b7 relevant1 local1 non-governmental organizations in all countries included in such ,reports1 including women and girls' organizations focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights4