Sen. Mark Udall ad: Cory Gardner embarked on an "eight-year crusade that would ban birth control."
Facts: Gardner supported anti-abortion measures that don't explicitly call for a ban on birth control but could lead to some forms of birth control being illegal. Gardner has withdrawn support for the Colorado personhood initiative, saying that he now agrees that the personhood measure "can ban common forms of contraception." He remains, though, a co-sponsor of the federal Life at Conception Act, which similarly defines "human person" from the "moment of fertilization", which would extend "equal protection for the right to life" under the 14th Amendment to the "pre-born" from the "moment of fertilization." That language is exactly what raises the question of what such a measure would mean for some forms of birth control. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said "oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and other forms of FDA-approved hormonal contraceptives could be banned in states that adopt 'personhood' measures."
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
DSCC ad: Gardner is co-sponsoring a bill that "makes all abortions illegal, even in cases of rape and incest."Facts: This claim, made in a DSCC ad, is a debatable opinion, not a fact. The anti-abortion measure in question makes no mention of rape or incest, and it's far from clear what its impact would be. The National Pro-Life Alliance states this bill would "dismantle" the Roe v. Wade decision, if a fetus can be considered a "person" under the Constitution, "the fetus' right to life is then guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment." Even if that turns out to be accurate, that still falls short of necessarily making "all" abortions illegal "even in cases of rape or incest."
Gardner claim: Gardner's plan to make birth control pills over-the-counter would be "cheaper and easier for you."Facts: It's unclear whether birth control pills would be "cheaper" if they were available over-the-counter without a prescription. The available research is mixed, and it's not specifically about the pill. Over-the-counter drugs would not be cheaper for women with most private insurance coverage, who - under the Affordable Care Act - get full coverage of the pill (and other forms of female contraception), with no cost-sharing, and fully covered annual "well-woman" office visits during which they can get a prescription. As for getting the pill over-the-counter being "easier," that, too, depends on the person and their location in Colorado.
Project Vote Smart ratings:
Gardner's ratings 0% Planned Parenthood; 100% National Right to Life Committee; Clean Water Sierra Club 0%; ACLU 10%; Retired Americans 0%; Equal Rights 0%; NEA 0%; Conservation voters 11%; Loyalty to Finance Lobby 100%; AFP 88%
Udall's ratings 100% Planned parenthood; 0% National Right to Life Committee; Sierra Club 100%; ACLU 100%; Retired Americans 100%; Equal Rights 100%; NEA 100%; Conservation Voters 100%; Loyalty to Finance Lobby 43%; AFP 0%
For complete comparisons and 100's of ratings see www.votesmart.org
Chip Tuthill lives in Mancos. Website used: www.factcheck.org