Women's Rights and Health 

Christopher believes abortion should remain safe and legal, yet rare.  He supports reproductive freedom and family planning assistance and has worked to codify Roe v. Wade.

 

Christopher believes nothing is more important to reducing the number of abortions than stopping the number of unintended pregnancies.  He is working in Washington to enact a comprehensive approach to sexual education that provides information about abstinence and contraceptives to teens to help reduce unwanted pregnancy, abortion, and the contraction of STDs and AIDS.

 

Christopher is an original cosponsor of the Prevention First Act, which increases funding for family planning services, establishes new public awareness campaigns to publicize information on emergency contraception to the public, and expands teenage pregnancy prevention programs.

 

Christopher is also the lead Republican cosponsor of the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act, which will help ensure school sexual education programs are comprehensive and medically accurate.  The funding can be used for education on abstinence and contraception, so long as the information being distributed is factual.

 

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) continue to spread at alarming rates.  Approximately 7,000 women are infected with HIV every day. That’s why Christopher is the lead Republican cosponsor of the Microbicide Development Act, which will help efforts to develop microbicides, which are a class of products currently under development that women could apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.  Many scientists believe microbicides could stop 2.5 million infections over three years, and that newer and better microbicides could ultimately save many more women.

 

Christopher is also deeply concerned about the scourge of domestic violence and other crimes against women, which is why he’s working to increase the number of support services available and toughen sentences for spousal abuse.  Christopher has long supported the Violence Against Women Act, which helps to allow law enforcement and social service agencies to work with abused women to prevent and combat domestic and sexual violence.

 

Because this violence against women knows no borders, Christopher cosponsored the International Violence Against Women Act.  This legislation establishes an Advisory Commission on International Violence Against Women in the Office of Women’s Global Initiatives to coordinate U.S. government efforts respecting international women’s issues.

 

Christopher strongly believes that women deserve the same opportunities as men and he is working to end discrimination in the workplace.  Furthermore, he supports the Equal Rights Constitutional Amendment, which will ensure equal rights for men and women.  Christopher supports efforts to help address the pay disparities in the workplace, and will continue to make improving the world for women a priority in Congress.