Dear John,

Over the past several weeks, I have watched in horror as state after state stripped women of the ability to make their own health care and family planning decisions. And now, a Republican-appointed Justice on the Supreme Court has alluded to the fact that access to contraception could be next.

No government or politician has any place interfering in these personal decisions between a woman, her family and her doctor. Especially because access to contraception is integral to individual decisions about when to start or grow a family.

That’s why this past week I helped introduce and pass legislation to defend access to contraception and to protect health care providers’ ability to provide contraceptives to their patients. The Right to Contraception Act would codify the legal right for women to access devices and medication designed to prevent pregnancy – such as birth control pills, IUDs and condoms – and allow the Attorney General to take civil action against any state or government official that implements or enforces legislation preventing access to contraceptives.

Earlier this week, that critical effort passed out of the House. Now, it’s time for our Senators to step up and follow our lead. Because the stakes of this fight could not be higher.

Here are some of the other highlights from this week:

Defending Your Freedom to Marry
7 years after marriage equality became recognized federally, Republicans are once again targeting same-sex marriages. It’s outrageous that we even have to vote on this – but I was shocked this week that, in 2022, a full 77% of my Republican colleagues voted again same-sex and inter-racial marriage.

Connecting with Minnesota Farmers
It’s always great to catch up with constituents in DC – especially when they’re a member of my Farmer Advisory Council! Thank you to Lindsey Fulton, owner of Blondies Butcher Shop, for meeting me and helping me prioritize the issues most important to farmers and ranchers back home.

Meeting with Future Farmers
This week I also got to meet with leadership from the Minnesota FFA in Washington. It's great to know that the young leaders fostering the future of agriculture are so invested in seeing Minnesota Ag thrive. They did a great job of running the meeting as well!

Behind the Scenes with Rep. Craig:

This week I am taking you quite literally behind the scenes in Washington. Here is a selfie I took with some of my colleagues in the Democratic cloakroom. Each party has its own room just off the House floor that’s accessible by Members only. My staff can’t even come in with me. It’s mostly where we go to take phone calls in between votes or fight over cell phone chargers! It’s also a great place to develop strong relationships with our colleagues!

It’s been a very busy week in Washington – and I’m so excited to be back with family. I hope that you all had a wonderful week, and I’ll talk to you soon!

Until next time,
 

Angie Craig

Member of Congress