Planned Parenthood Action Fund and NARAL Pro-Choice America Remind Voters of Henry Cuellar’s Anti-Abortion Record

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, in response to reporting on Henry Cuellar’s 2024 reelection bid, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and NARAL Pro-Choice America released the following statement reminding voters of his anti-abortion record: 

“Henry Cuellar is the last anti-abortion Democrat in the House. He has repeatedly voted against measures to protect abortion access and, to add insult to injury, celebrated with anti-abortion advocates after Roe was overturned. Despite the access challenges that his own constituents in Texas face to critical reproductive health care, like abortion, he has remained committed to voting against measures to protect their rights. 

“This is an all hands on deck moment and we need our elected leaders to use their power and influence to both protect access to sexual and reproductive health care, and to lift up leaders who share those values with the overwhelming majority of voters. 

“Our organizations continue to hold those in office accountable and will continue to work tirelessly to support reproductive rights champions at all levels of government.” 

According to a Washington Post-Ipsos survey released November 3, 2022, “A majority of — 68 percent — of Latino voters say abortion should be legal”...”with nearly the same percentage opposing the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe. Two-thirds of Catholic Latino voters also opposed the ruling. A Pew Research Center poll found that 60 percent of Latinos said abortion should be legal, along with 59 percent of White Americans, 68 percent of Black Americans and 74 percent of Asian Americans.”

Henry Cuellar’s Anti-Abortion Record

In the 118th Congress, he voted to pass: 

• H.R. 26, interfering with the confidential and personal doctor-patient relationship 
• An amendment reversing the Department of Defense policy to support service members and their families who are forced to travel off base for reproductive health care — including abortion care — that is not covered or offered at their base;
• An amendment prohibiting coverage of gender affirming care through TRICARE, exacerbating the existing impact of discrimination on transgender service members;
• An amendment prohibiting provision of gender affirming care through the Exceptional Family Member Program

In the 117th Congress, he voted against: 

• H.R. 8296 and H.R. 3755, two bills protecting and expanding access to abortion nationwide (also referred to as the Women’s Health Protection Act)

In the 116th Congress, he voted to support: 

• An amendment allowing doctors to refuse medical care to patients based on their personal beliefs
• An amendment interfering with the doctor-patient relationship

In the 115th Congress, he voted to pass: 

• H.R. 4712, interfering with the confidential and personal doctor-patient relationship 
• H.R. 36, banning abortions after 20 weeks, nationwide
• H.R. 7, restricting access to abortion coverage in health insurance plans

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Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational, advocacy, and limited electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.

For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. NARAL is powered by its 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.