Maintain FDA authority over over-the-counter contraceptive approvals and prevent retailers from interfering with consumer access to nonprescription contraception.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez · New York · Democratic

policy impact 0.66 specificity 0.88 extraction confidence 89%

Commitment kind: outcome. Promised action: Support the Affordability is Access Act provisions preserving FDA authority and requiring retailers to provide approved nonprescription contraception without interference.. Promised outcome: FDA authority over over-the-counter contraceptive approvals would be maintained, and consumers would be able to access and purchase approved nonprescription contraception from stocking retailers without interference.. Deadline: unknown; not assumed expired. Federal office press release for Ocasio-Cortez as U.S. Representative for New York's 14th District, dated September 24, 2026.

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Occurrences

The Affordability is Access Act would also maintain the FDA’s sole authority to determine the safety and efficacy of drugs and make them available over the counter without a prescription, and ensure retailers provide contraception without a prescription. The legislation states that any retailer that stocks contraception that the FDA has approved, granted, or cleared without a prescription may not interfere with a consumer’s access to or purchase of such contraception.

The bill would preserve FDA authority over nonprescription contraceptive approvals and bar retailers stocking approved contraception from interfering with consumer access or purchases.

Representatives Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley, Bera, Senators Murray, Hirono, Cortez Masto, Reintroduce Bill to Expand Coverage of Birth Control in America | Representative Ocasio-Cortez
primary · press_release · model gpt-5.5

Evidence

unverified · Source version 69634 · locator unknown

reintroduced their bicameral Affordability is Access Act.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): Within the lookback window, Ocasio-Cortez's official House site documented renewed legislative effort on the Affordability is Access Act. The release frames the measure as pending legislation that would maintain FDA authority and prevent retailer interference, so this supports continued effort rather than completed delivery.

unresolved unknown A for effort

Representatives Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley, Bera, Senators Murray, Hirono, Cortez Masto, Reintroduce Bill to Expand Coverage of Birth Control in America | Representative Ocasio-Cortez
primary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 92%

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verified · Source version 69638 · locator 7385

may not interfere with an individual's access to or purchase of such contraception

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): Official GovInfo bill text for a prior House version cosponsored by Ocasio-Cortez shows the retailer noninterference mechanism. GovInfo lists the measure as introduced and referred, not enacted, leaving the commitment unresolved while documenting concrete effort.

unresolved unknown A for effort

H.R. 3589 (IH) - Affordability is Access Act of 2023
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 90%

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Assessments

Public state: pending As of 2026-09-26 · verified · . Original AI recommendation (not independently established): unresolved. unknown A for effort

The verified commitment describes desired statutory outcomes: maintaining FDA authority over OTC contraceptive approvals and preventing retailer interference with access to approved nonprescription contraception. The only verified evidence shows bill language stating retailers “may not interfere” with access or purchase, which documents legislative effort toward the retailer-noninterference provision but does not verify enactment or completed implementation. No verified passage proves the promised outcome became law by 2026-09-26.

provider codex_cli · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 88%