Rare snub sparks fiery battle between House members
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Rep. Marc Molinaro leaving a House Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 24, 2024. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.
A House Republican on Monday accused a Democratic colleague of refusing to let him cosponsor a pro-contraception bill that would pad his credentials on reproductive rights in his hotly contested reelection battle.
Why it matters: It is rare for lawmakers to prevent colleagues from signing onto their legislation – a sign of how bitter the partisan fight over abortion has become.
- It is not without precedent, however: Some Democrats refused let Republicans who voted to decertify 2020 electors co-sponsor their bills in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack.
Driving the news: In a post on X, Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.) accused Rep. Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) of denying multiple requests from his office to be added as a co-sponsor to the Right to Contraception Act.
- The bill, first introduced in 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, would establish a statutory right to birth control and protect health care providers' ability to provide contraception.
- The New York Republican posted emails from his staff to Manning's on June 5 and again on June 13 asking for him to be added as a cosponsor.
- Molinaro accused Manning of blocking him to leave him vulnerable to attack ads from his Democratic opponent Josh Riley — hitting him for not being a co-sponsor.
The other side: Manning, in a statement to Axios, noted that Democrats launched a discharge petition in June to try to force a vote on her bill.
- "Despite repeated invitations to my colleagues across the aisle, not a single House Republican has signed my petition," she said of the maneuver, which would force a vote on the bill if 218 House members sign on.
- "If Congressman Molinaro is serious about safeguarding access to all FDA-approved birth control, the first step is clear: sign the petition," she said.
- Manning also replied to Molinaro's post on X asking if he will sign onto her discharge petition.
Between the lines: A source familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Axios that Manning has been more focused on gathering discharge petition signatures than co-sponsors.
- The discharge petition was launched June 4, one day before the first email from Molinaro's staff to Manning's. At the time, Molinaro expressed openness to signing the petition but has not since signed on.
- The source suggested that Molinaro not signing onto the petition is key to him not being allowed to co-sponsor the bill, noting every Democrat who has been added as a co-sponsor since June 5 also signed the petition.
