Date: 2012-03-07
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

This is a month that we note as celebrating women and womens history as a major component of the wonderful history of the greatest Nation in the world. How proud we are of a Nation that supports peoples rights no matter your walk of life or religious background or ethnic background. and how proud we are now in 2012 to note that there are men and women on the front lines. on the battlefields defending Americas freedom. So I rise today to continue my advocacy for womens rights. I note that I have been a proponent of womens rights from the earliest part of my career as a lawyer. as a civic participant. as a civilian in my hometown of Houston. as a mother. certainly as a wife. and as a public servant now as a Member of the United States Congress. I am delighted to acknowledge the Congressional Womens Caucus and to note that the mission of the Womens Caucus is to improve the lives of women and their families. Since 1977. the caucus has focused on issues that are pertinent to womenfrom fair credit to child support. equitable pay. retirement income. preventing domestic violence at home and internationally. and of course preventing sexual assault. So I rise today with a degree of consternation and a resounding stand against the siege and onslaught of womens access to health care. Let me be very clear: womens access to health care is not a battle about a womans choice or the utilization of contraceptives or family planning. It is. simply. womens access to health care. The issue of birth control is an issue of womens health care. Let me give you a recent studys commentary by the National Womens Law Center: It found that 25yearold women have been charged up to 84 percent more than their male contemporaries for individual health plans that specifically exclude maternity coverage. Let me be very clear: 84 percent higher than a males plan to allow a woman to have access to health care. Therein lies the purpose of the Affordable Care Actnot individual mandates but to be able to even the playing field for womens health care. Therefore. let me indicate that using or not using birth control or family planning is an individual matter. but you cannot obtain those without a prescription. It should be a decision between a woman. her conscience. her doctor. and certainly her faith. So I wish to address the recent tenor of the debate on birth control. A young law student. Sandra Fluke. came before this body. before the Members of Congress. and testified regarding coverage for family planning and contraceptives. She was then publicly derailed as being a slut and a prostitute. I would hope the days of derogatory terms to silence womens opinions are over forever. particularly when they speak about truth. She recounted the story of a young friend who lost an ovary. Let me repeat: she. Ms. Fluke. recounted a story of a young friend who lost an ovary due to polycystic ovarian fibroids. which can be managed by contraceptives through prescription. Unfortunately. that young woman could not afford contraceptives and had to endure terrible pain. As a result of asking for help to address female law students health concerns. Ms. Fluke. in coming to this body as an American citizen. as is her right to petition and speak to the Members of Congress. was called a slut and a prostitute by an entertainment talkshow host. Calling women these sorts of names is no more than vile. underhanded and a way of defeating ones right to speak. I dont deny the right of entertainers and talkshow entertainers and flamboyant conversationalists to speak all day. but there has to be a defining moment of dignity and respect to anyones disagreement. So I hope more and more advertisers will recognize that a womans power is greater than the individual entertainers power. Drop off of that show. Drop off one by one. day by day. Leave them to the oldfashioned medicine of the 1800sthe pills that will cure all. Let the old doc medicine be their advertisers. Thats about the level that they should be at. Womens health is so very important. and at some point. reproductive health is very much a part of it. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is helped by contraceptives. Mr. Speaker. all of theseendometriosis. the lack of menstrual periods. menstrual cramps. premenstrual syndromeare helped by treatment and access to womens health. Let me finally say in conclusion that when you cut Medicaid. you cut poor womens access to health care. I will stand and fight for womens access to health care and their own decisions because it is part of the American way. So let us stand together. united as a Nation. being fair and open to all opinions. but never denying a woman. along with every other American. access to health care.