Black & LGBTQ+ Organizations Mobilize in High-Stakes Supreme Court Battle

March 5, 2025

Amicus brief filed in landmark ACA case defending preventive care access.

On February 25, 2025, we joined our partners at The Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP), PrEP in Black America (PIBA), Afiya Center (Dallas), Women with a Vision (New Orleans), SisterLove (Atlanta), and BlaqOut (Kansas City, Missouri) in filing an amicus, or “friend of the court,” brief in the Braidwood v Kennedy (previously known as Braidwood v Becerra) case on appeal in the Supreme Court in order to take a stand defending access to preventative health care nationally and to protect the Black and brown lives that will be lost should this access be overturned.

“I’m incredibly honored to stand alongside these Black and LGBTQ+ organizations as we boldly demand the highest court reckon with the profound harm the loss of preventative healthcare would have on our communities. While some may decide this is the moment to make ourselves smaller and less susceptible to opposition—now is the time to make it clear that we will continue to unapologetically advocate for our lives and well-being,” says S. Mandisa Moore-O’Neal, Executive Director of CHLP.

Braidwood v Kennedy, a case originally out of the Northern District of Texas on appeal in the Supreme Court this term, represents a recent attack upon the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), challenging the fact that private insurers are currently required to cover preventative care without cost-sharing (co-pays). The forms of preventative care under attack range from PrEP to cancer screenings. They include any preventative care that receives an “A” or “B” rating from the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent body charged by Congress to review forms of preventative care available and make recommendations that impact what is covered under the ACA. Specifically, the plaintiffs allege that members of USPSTF are unconstitutionally appointed under the Appointments Clause of the U.S.

View the full press release and Amicus Brief here.

More You might like

Leading Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely

Last month, we hosted our New Executive Director Intensive, one of our longest-running leadership programs. For over a decade, this program has brought together Executive Directors who are new in their role to foster healthy, sustainable organizations and leadership practices. Here are inspiring takeaways we got out of this year’s intensive!

March 5, 2025
Spotlight Interview featuring Ronnie, Advocacy, Policy, & Partnerships Director at FreeState Justice

In recognition of HIV is Not a Crime Day and Maryland's recent groundbreaking progress toward HIV law reform, we sat down for a conversation with Ronnie at FreeState Justice, one of our state partners. We discuss Maryland’s historic progress, its significance in the current landscape of HIV criminalization across the United States, and the importance of Black LGBTQ+ leadership in shaping HIV justice.

September 6, 2024
Iowa Republicans Strip Civil Rights Protections for Trans People from State Law

The Iowa Legislature this evening passed a repeal of 18-year-old nondiscrimination protections for transgender people. We denounce Iowa’s rollback of civil rights protections for trans people in the strongest possible terms, and call on all Americans of conscience to stand up for their LGBTQ+ friends, family, and neighbors.

September 6, 2024
A young man looking up, smilingA young man smiling straight at the camera
Confident young woman standing with crossed arms.

Want To Make A Difference? Support Our Work

With your support, we'll be able to continue our work to build the leaders of today and tomorrow, strengthen state-based LGBTQ+ organizations, and make critical progress on the issues that matter most—like protecting transgender people, ending HIV criminalization and ensuring access to care, and banning conversion therapy across the country.