U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal have joined 23 colleagues in reintroducing the Stop Comstock Act (SCA), legislation designed to repeal the 1873 Comstock Act. The century-old statute, originally intended to prohibit mailing materials deemed "obscene" or "indecent," is currently leveraged by anti-abortion activists to impose nationwide abortion restrictions without congressional approval.
“Donald Trump and Republicans are so desperate to ban abortion nationwide that they’re dragging out a law from the 1800s to do it. It doesn’t get more shameless than this—using a law passed before women could even vote to strip them of their right to make their own health care decisions,” said Murphy.
The Comstock Act is central to Project 2025, a conservative initiative embraced by former President Donald Trump. Trump's administration has positioned abortion opponents within key roles, notably at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), raising concerns about potential restrictions on medication abortion. The FDA under Trump-appointed leadership has notably cast doubt on the proven safety and efficacy of mifepristone, a medication used in nearly 60% of U.S. abortions.
The proposed legislation explicitly repeals language from the Comstock laws that could allow an anti-abortion administration to block shipments of abortion medications, medical instruments, and educational resources related to reproductive health.
“I’m helping lead a vital measure to protect women’s reproductive freedom again lawless, reckless use of the Comstock Act,” said Blumenthal. “Women’s health care is under attack like never before under the Trump Administration, in Congress, and in far too many states. Anti-abortion extremists are seeking to misuse this long-dead law – literally over 150 years old – to block access to safe and effective medication abortion. I’ll continue to fight these efforts by supporting the Stop Comstock Act which makes clear that the law doesn’t prohibit access to this much needed and widely used medication.”
The bill has garnered significant support, including endorsements from Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and numerous reproductive health advocacy groups, emphasizing its importance in maintaining safe and accessible reproductive healthcare across the country.
A summary of the bill is available HERE and the full bill text is available HERE.
