Families have the opportunity to decide the future of access to reproductive freedom in California. This November 8^th election, Proposition 1 is on the ballot to enshrine current freedoms to access abortion and contraceptives within the state’s constitution.

Why does this matter?

This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court took away 50 years of legal protection of women’s rights when it overturned Roe v. Wade and signaled that this monumental reversal was only the beginning.

Within days, millions of people in states across the nation have seen their rights vanish.

What does a yes vote on Prop 1 do?

By placing the freedom to reproductive healthcare within California’s constitution, this freedom will be protected against future attacks at the federal level and from other courts and will be protected against political gamesmanship.

How are our San Joaquin Valley and Inland Empire Congressional Candidates Responding?

California Congressional District 13 

• Democratic candidate Adam Gray voted for AB 1242 as an Assemblymember to keep women safe from prosecution by out-of-state law enforcement for accessing their right to an abortion. 
• Democratic candidate Adam Gray co-authored Prop 1, recognizing that decisions around abortion and contraception belong in the hands of the individual with the advice of their medical provider. 
• Republican candidate John Duarte is not supporting Prop 1, putting access to reproductive healthcare at risk of weakening or ruin.
• Republican candidate John Duarte is against enacting national policy that would protect a woman’s right to abortion and contraceptives. 

Decisions around abortion and contraceptives should rest with a woman/individual and her/their physician NOT with John Duarte.

California Congressional District 22 

• Democratic candidate Rudy Salas co-sponsored Prop 1 to put a woman’s freedom to reproductive health in the California Constitution. Click here for KGET overview of Salas' stance on Prop 1.
• Democratic candidate Rudy Salas voted for AB1242 as an Assemblymember to keep women safe from prosecution by out-of-state law enforcement for accessing their right to an abortion. 
• Democratic candidate Rudy Salas supports a woman’s freedom to make her family plan with her doctor. Click here for KGET overview of Salas' stance on a woman's right to access reproductive health options. 
• Republican Rep. Valadao Co-Sponsored H.R. 1011 - 117th Congress (2021): This bill declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual comes into being.
• Republican Rep. Valadao Co-Sponsored H.R. 490 - Heartbeat Protection Act of 2017: This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it easier to criminalize a physician who performs an abortion.
• Republican Rep. Valadao signed an amicus brief in 2021 urging the Supreme Court to overturn Rose and Casey and take away 50 years of rights to access reproductive healthcare options.
• Republican Rep. Valadao voted to deny military servicewomen access to an abortion. See Republican effort to strike a motion to prohibit service members and civilians from being denied leave to seek abortion services here.
• Republican Rep. Valadao voted to ban abortion, with a few narrow exceptions, beyond the 20th week of pregnancy. H.R.1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act 2013

 Decisions around abortion and contraceptives should rest with a woman/individual and her/their physician NOT with David Valadao.

California Congressional District 27 

• Democratic candidate Christy Smith supports a woman’s freedom to make her family plan with her doctor. See her website to read about her priorities. 
• Democratic candidate Christy Smith supports the Women’s Health Protection Act, a bill that would enshrine abortion rights on the federal level and protect providers and patients’ abilities to give and receive abortion care without medically unnecessary restrictions. 
• In the Assembly, Christy Smith voted to protect health centers that offer abortion services (the Budget Act of 2019) and to offer telehealth options for obtaining services like birth control (AB1264). 
• As an Assemblymember, Christy Smith voted to extend paid family leave job protections to those eligible as well as extended pregnancy and birth disability job protections (the Budget Act of 2020). 

• Republican Rep. Mike Garcia voted repeatedly against allowing an abortion at any stage.
• Republican Rep. Mike Garcia urged the U.S. Supreme Court to take longstanding rights away from women across the Nation.
• Republican Rep. Mike Garcia against ensuring the right to access or provide contraception.
• Republican Rep. Mike Garcia voted against protecting health care providers who perform abortion from being subject to penalties from out-of-state law enforcement.
• Republican Rep. Mike Garcia voted to strike a motion to prohibit service members and civilians from being denied leave to seek abortion services.

Decisions around abortion and contraceptives should rest with a woman/individual and her/their physician NOT with Mike Garcia. 

California Congressional District 41 

• Democratic candidate Will Rollins supports passing the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify the right to an abortion. Visit his website here to learn his stance on reproductive freedom.
• Democratic candidate Will Rollins supports the Department of Justice protecting people from being criminally prosecuted for accessing out-of-state abortion. Visit his website here to learn his stance on reproductive freedom.

• Republican Congressman Ken Calvert’s urged the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn abortion protections.
• Republican Rep. Ken Calvert voted to strike a motion to prohibit service members and civilians from being denied leave to seek abortion services.
• Republican Rep. Ken Calvert doesn’t believe veteran women should have the same no-cost contraceptive care as civilians.
• Republican Rep. Ken Calvert voted against ensuring the right to access or provide contraception

Decisions around abortion and contraceptives should rest with an individual and their physician NOT with Ken Calvert. 

Rep. Ken Calvert had been in office for 29 years. Here is a short list of more votes he has taken against access to reproductive health care. He voted:

• Against the Women’s Health Protection Act 2021 & R. 8296 Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022 to codify Roe v. Wade. 
• Against a bipartisan law to make it illegal to barricade an abortion clinic.
• Against H.R. 3755, the Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 that would prohibit governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services.
• Against R. 8297 Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022 to reaffirm the right to travel across state lines to obtain a lawful abortion and to protect health care providers. 
• Against R. 8296 Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022 to guarantee equal access to abortion, everywhere and would prevent extreme anti-choice laws and medically unnecessary requirements like the bans passed in Texas and Mississippi. 
• Against J.Res 17 to remove a deadline for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, after a recent federal court ruling said the deadline for the ERA expired long ago.
• Against R. 5 the Equality Act intended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, pregnancy and childbirth across many systems, including health care.

Rep. Ken Calvert has spent 29 years leading a fight against women and their right to access reproductive health care.