NAACP Files Amicus Brief to Support Access to Affordable Contraception

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 6, 2026

Contact: Chyna Fields, cfields@naacpnet.org

WASHINGTON – This week, the NAACP signed on to an amicus brief in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, et al. v. President United States of America, et al. In the case, Pennsylvania and New Jersey are challenging regulations enacted during the first Trump administration that expanded the religious and moral exemptions to the Affordable Care Act's birth control benefit. The exemptions allow employers or universities to impose religious or moral beliefs on their employees and students – blocking them from accessing affordable contraception.

Janette McCarthy-Wallace, NAACP General Counsel shared this statement:

"Federal agencies cannot ignore the real-world harm that sweeping exemptions would cause for women and families across this country. Policies that allow employers or institutions to deny contraceptive coverage threaten health equity and disproportionately impact communities that already face barriers to care. Ensuring that women have access to the full range of reproductive health services is essential to protecting women's rights, promoting equity, and supporting the health and stability of families nationwide."

In the brief, the NAACP and allied groups emphasize that federal regulations granting broad religious exemptions for contraceptive care are not required by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA); and that federal agencies have failed to consider the harm these exemptions would cause to women's health.

The NAACP continues to advocate on behalf of millions of women – especially Black women – who face constant health discrimination in America. 

Click here for full access to the amicus brief.

###

About NAACP 

The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st-century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities. 

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity.