One Democratic lawmaker has had enough of male legislators telling women what they can and cannot do with their body. Last week, Congresswoman Rolanda Hollis introduced a measure that would give men an opportunity to see what it feels like.
The bill, sponsored by Hollis, would require that all men get a vasectomy after they turn 50, or after they have their third child, whichever one comes first. “It always takes two to tango,” Hollis told AL.com. “We can’t put all the responsibility on women. Men need to be responsible also.” If passed, the bill would require that men also pay for their vasectomy out-of-pocket.
In a tweet, Rep. Hollis said that the vasectomy bill will “help with the reproductive system,” adding that it would “neutralize the abortion ban bill” and help prevent pregnancies as well as abortions of unwanted children. The Alabama lawmaker believes that the measure will help men and women become more accountable as it pertains to reproduction.
Though the bill has no real chance of passing in a Republican-controlled state government, it did get the attention of Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. On Sunday he retweeted a story about Hollis’ bill proposal and added, “Yikes. A government big enough to give you everything is big enough to take everything . . . literally!”
In 2013, Cruz urged the Senate to pass a 20-week abortion bill that would make it illegal for women to terminate a pregnancy after the first 20 weeks of gestation. He has also been an outspoken supporter for overturning Roe v. Wade.
Last year the state of Alabama passed the most restrictive abortion bill in the country, giving no leniency for cases of incest or rape. A federal judge on blocked the near-total ban from taking effect, allowing the procedure to remain legal and available while the case makes its way through the courts.