Today, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), a Senior Chief Deputy Whip and Chair of the Providers and Clinics Task Force for the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, reintroduced the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act. This historic legislation would repeal the Helms Amendment, an archaic and racist policy that essentially bans the use of any U.S. foreign assistance funds for abortion services overseas. The bill is co-led by Barbara Lee (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Norma Torres (D-CA) and Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) and is backed by over 140 original cosponsors.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) introduced the REPEAL (''Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal”) HIV Discrimination Act, which calls for a review of all federal and state laws, policies, and regulations regarding the criminal prosecution of individuals for HIV-related offenses.

“In 27 states, LGBTQ youth are at risk of being fired, refused housing, or denied services simply because of who they are. It’s not only unfair, it’s dangerous: take a state like Texas, where ice storms have left millions in need of shelter. We can’t let states leave LGBTQ young people out in the cold. It’s well past time to rectify this situation, and it’s time Congress made the Equality Act a priority,” said Debra Hauser, President, Advocates for Youth.

As sexual and reproductive health experts continue to study COVID-19’s impact on efforts to accurately and effectively trace and detect sexually transmitted infections,  Advocates for Youth today announced the launch of its #DoGoodFeelGood campaign aimed at increasing young people’s access to condoms and sexual health knowledge, as well as masks. 

Advocates for Youth applauds the Biden-Harris administration for prioritizing reproductive and sexual health, rights, and justice in their First 10 Days, but urges even further actions to expand access to care for young people, LGBTQ and BIPOC communities moving forward.

Advocates for Youth applauds President Biden for taking the first steps to undo the harms of the previous administration’s dangerous and restrictive policies that robbed countless people of the right to control their own bodies and access sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion.