WASHINGTON, D.C. — Military health-care facilities around the world would be required to stock emergency contraception under legislation introduced by Sens. Al Franken and Olympia Snowe Thursday.

Currently, such facilities are allowed to stock contraception but aren’t required to. Because it’s not required, some military facilities (especially those overseas) don’t always carry it, officials with Franken’s office said.

“All servicewomen should have the same access to this medication as civilians do,” Franken said in a statement. “The fact that more than 2,900 sexual assaults were reported last year in the military — a nine percent increase — only heightens the need to ensure emergency contraception is always available.”

Snowe, a moderate Republican from Maine, is the only Republican to sign on to the bill so far. It has 10 Democratic co-sponsors.