WASHINGTON — Minutes right before U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace cast just one of the several Republican votes in favor of a invoice to federally safeguard entry to delivery command, she grabbed a roll of white duct tape, her navy blazer and a black Sharpie marker.
If her colleagues could put on messages on their COVID masks, Mace reasoned, then why could not she do this?
She lower the white tape into 3 around-horizontal strips and affixed each of the items to the again of her $29 jacket from H&M.
“My condition is banning exceptions,” her handwritten concept declared, capitalizing the word ‘exceptions’ for emphasis. “Secure contraception,” it ongoing, with the phrase ‘contraception’ scrawled in all-caps.
Mace, R-Charleston, was one of eight Republicans who joined House Democrats in voting for a bill July 21 defending the correct to obtain and use contraception with out govt restriction.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Charleston, taped a information to the back again of her navy blazer ahead of voting on a monthly bill to defend accessibility to contraception on July 21, 2022. It reads, “My state is banning exceptions,” her handwritten message declared, capitalizing the phrase ‘exceptions’ for emphasis. “Defend contraception,” it ongoing, with the phrase ‘contraception’ scrawled in all-caps. Provided
The invoice explicitly enables the use of “any gadget or treatment utilized to avoid pregnancy.” Outlined illustrations incorporate oral contraceptives, injections, implants, these types of as intrauterine equipment, as nicely as crisis contraceptives, which can protect against pregnancy a number of days after unprotected sex.
The final vote was 228 to 195, with two Republicans voting present and six GOP customers not voting at all.
Democrats released the monthly bill right after an feeling previous thirty day period from conservative Supreme Court docket Justice Clarence Thomas recommended that the courtroom could go even further after overturning federal abortion rights.
In his concurring impression supporting the stop of Roe v. Wade, Thomas mentioned that the court docket ought to now review other precedents, including married couples’ use of contraceptives in 1965, along with rulings that affirmed the legal rights of very same-sex marriage in 2015 and exact-sexual intercourse personal interactions in 2003.
While Thomas did not specify a 1972 determination that legalized the use of contraceptives by single men and women, Democrats say they look at that at chance, as well. Republicans have accused Democrats of manufacturing a crisis, indicating there is no really serious exertion underway to erase the suitable to use contraceptives.
Throughout the ground vote, Mace was the only lawmaker who sought to make a political statement by means of tape and jacket.
“For me, this was articulating coverage,” Mace instructed The Put up and Courier. “This isn’t really a publicity stunt. This is really serious.”
She confirmed she was able to enter the Residence chamber, the place there are demanding principles of decorum and a costume code, to forged her vote.
Mace, who identifies as a “pro-existence,” stated she anxieties that her Republican colleagues are acquiring swept up in pushing for abortion restrictions. She claimed the reversal of Roe v. Wade has been “much too much of a sizzling matter to talk about and toss about as a bomb for fundraising” without the need of pausing to feel about the effect these limits will have on girls and families.
“You’ve got acquired to get to the root of the problem, and no one at the federal level or even the state level is addressing it,” Mace explained. “And if you are likely to ban abortions, you have to have to be certain that each individual lady has accessibility to contraception.”
Publish-Roe, South Carolina lawmakers a short while ago proposed laws that would ban abortion with no exception for rape or incest but permit the process only to conserve the mother’s existence or reduce a severe, lifelong wellness trouble.
Mace named the actions of her residence condition lawmakers “disappointing.”
“To see them change their again on what was currently decided by the Legislature, and to truly feel emboldened that they can ban those exceptions is wrong,” Mace said.
But she also praised South Carolina and its governor for signing a regulation previously this 12 months that makes it possible for gals more than 18 to invest in birth control tablets and other hormonal contraceptives without the need of a prescription.

Following photos of Mace’s political style statement commenced circulating on social media, some buyers suggested Mace was partaking in a political stunt.
Democrat Annie Andrews, who is running from Mace to signify South Carolina’s coastal 1st Congressional District, responded with a political manner statement of her have.
In a photograph posted to Twitter, Andrews had a concept taped to the again of her quick-sleeved navy shirt. Echoing Mace’s design and style preference, Andrews’ response was also broken up into a few strips of tape.
“Really don’t perform video games w/ women’s health care,” the message reported. “Codify Roe”
— Dr. Annie Andrews (@AnnieAndrewsMD) July 21, 2022
Katie Arrington, whom Mace defeated in the June Republican major, was also among the the critics.
“Be a stateswoman, not a billboard,” Arrington tweeted, before stating Republicans will need far more representatives like U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who voted towards the measure.
Mace’s vote marked the second time in three days that she has broken rank with her social gathering.
Earlier this week, Mace was one particular of 47 House Republicans who voted with Democrats to federally secure similar-sexual intercourse and interracial relationship.
Whilst the House monthly bill would enshrine the correct to contraception as a law, it faces an uphill climb receiving by the Senate.
The Involved Push contributed to this report.
