Congressional Record—House H1160
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H1160 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 2012 I wouldn’t want them buried—any part of some sort of birth control at some deadly tornados descended upon south- them—in the landfill.’’ point during their lives. Birth control ern Indiana communities, leaving be- f can cost up to $600 a year. So for a col- hind a 50-mile path of destruction from WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH AND A lege student, a woman who’s had mul- New Pekin to Chelsea and beyond. Our WOMAN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE tiple children and is still in child- people are still assessing the costs, but bearing years, low-income women or we know this much: 13 Hoosiers have The SPEAKER pro tempore. The those who are underinsured, insurance died, scores have lost their homes and Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from coverage means the difference between businesses, and citizens across the re- California (Ms. RICHARDSON) for 5 min- accessing contraceptive services or gion have suffered untold damage to utes. not. their personal and public property. Ms. RICHARDSON. In this month of b 1040 As hard as it is to imagine, the trag- March, as we celebrate Women’s His- edy might have been worse were it not tory Month, I would like to take a mo- Quite simply, Madam Speaker, all for the bravery and resilience of rank- ment to recognize some of our great fe- women should have the choice and ac- and-file Hoosiers. Our firemen, police- male leaders who, throughout history, cess to contraception and have the re- men, EMTs, and local officials deserve sources no matter where they work, have persevered in the face of monu- our thanks. Those who serve in Indi- where they live, or where they go to mental opposition and successfully ana’s National Guard, our State police, college. This is why I’m proud to sup- have accomplished great things on be- and our Department of Homeland Secu- port President Obama’s Affordable half of the American people. rity stepped up, too. From the initial Care Act, which I voted on, which will From the words of the great poet, response through the ongoing efforts make a positive impact on women and Maya Angelou, from the beautiful sing- today, their service has been exem- children in their access to health care ing voice of Marian Anderson, from the plary. and greatly decrease the number of tireless activism of Dolores Huerta, to But it has been concerned citizens, women and their families who are un- the groundbreaking leadership of Sec- so-called ‘‘ordinary’’ Americans who retary of State Hillary Clinton, Sec- insured or underinsured. Studies have shown that women who have restored a measure of stability to retary of Labor Frances Perkins, and, a region pummeled by forces beyond of course, our own Democratic leader have health insurance don’t always re- ceive the medical care they need be- our control. There was a bus driver in NANCY PELOSI, these women and many Henryville who, in the nick of time, more have played an integral role in cause their policies don’t cover certain services or the women simply can’t af- rushed dozens of children back to the history in this Nation. school to protect them from the ap- Madam Speaker, every day, women ford the high deductibles and copay- ments. The Affordable Care Act proaching twister. There were the take great strides to help others and to EMTs off Interstate 65 who saw a improve the quality of life for every- changes this unfortunate reality by as- sisting women in gaining access to woman thrown from her car and saved one. Unfortunately, in matters involv- her from being pummeled by hail by ing health care, women are still facing basic preventive health care in order to prevent life-threatening diseases in the dragging a large metal sign across the these challenges. Whether it’s on the road and holding it over her. They like- Senate floor last week during a debate future. Our country is facing great chal- ly saved her life. on the Blunt amendment or whether lenges. People need jobs. Students need There were parents and friends and it’s during a House Committee on Over- affordable education. Seniors and even strangers across southern Indiana sight and Government Reform hearing, working families need affordable who, as danger approached, took a mo- women continue to face unwarranted health care. But one thing we don’t ment to extend a hand to others and attacks on their reproductive health need is to continue to waste time de- said, Come inside, we’ll find room. rights and their access to contracep- bating extreme legislation that is dan- After the storms left their mark, Hoo- tives. gerous to women’s health, disrespects siers immediately turned to accounting More disconcerting, these debates the judgment of American women, and for loved ones and comforting neigh- and veiled attacks have escalated be- is nothing less than the most com- bors. yond misguided attempts to repeal the prehensive and radical assault on wom- The damage was and is severe. One Affordable Care Act. Now they’ve en’s health in our lifetime. tornado—by some accounts a half-mile taken aim at restricting women’s Madam Speaker, as people all over wide—carved a clear path through choices in the area of reproductive America pay tribute during the month southern Indiana, ripping trees out of health altogether. This is wrong. Med- of March to the generations of women the Earth, hurling automobiles and ical decisions about a woman’s health who have committed to progress and combines long distances, severing must leave the political arena and be have proved invaluable assets to our power lines, and decimating countless left to the discretion of the patient and society, let us in Congress renew our homes and businesses. Here, again, their doctor, not employers, and cer- commitment to support women—not Hoosiers didn’t sit around and wait for tainly not the government. with certificates at banquets, but by others to help us out. We got to work. It is astonishing and disappointing working to ensure equal treatment of Now, over the weekend I spent time that more than 50 years after the land- all women in society, providing women surveying the damage and meeting mark Supreme Court decision in Gris- with equal access to health care, and with those who lost the most. Every- wold v. Connecticut, a decision which protecting women’s rights, and their where I visited, I met citizens wearing found that women have a constitu- families, to choose once and for all work boots and work gloves who were tional right to use contraceptives, con- their own health care. busily beginning to sort through the tinued attacks on women’s rights of piles of rubble. I met others who had f privacy and health care still persist, fired up their chainsaws and were and at an alarming rate. HOOSIERS MAKE INDIANA PROUD clearing debris from roadways. I saw The American people want us to The SPEAKER pro tempore. The clusters of cars and pickup trucks work towards addressing their top pri- Chair recognizes the gentleman from parked outside homes that were hit ority: creating jobs, not their reproduc- Indiana (Mr. YOUNG) for 5 minutes. hardest. tive rights. However, this Congress Mr. YOUNG of Indiana. Madam In the aftermath of such a tragedy, seems to be more focused on bringing Speaker, I rise today because I’ve never one would be forgiven for asking: Why forward legislation that targets wom- been prouder to call southern Indiana me? But I never heard it. Instead, time en’s access to basic health care. In this home. Late Friday afternoon, in our and again I heard Hoosiers sympathize Congress alone, we’ve taken eight part of America, a disaster brought with those who lost more than they. votes on antiwomen health legislation. neighbors together, turned strangers And more than one person told me A 2011 Guttmacher Institute study into friends, and reminded us all what that, in the end, stuff doesn’t really found that over 90 percent of women, it means to be part of a community. matter; it’s people that are important. and over 90 percent of Catholic women, Over the course of several hours, I heard sincere, caring people ask between the ages of 15 and 44 have used fierce winds, softball-sized hail, and their neighbors: How can I help? In VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:19 Mar 07, 2012 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A06MR7.007 H06MRPT1 pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE March 6, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H1161 Henryville, a pizza shop was mostly de- I can tell you from firsthand experience transportation in America for the ben- stroyed, except for the freezer. The that this proposal would have a profoundly efit of all of our citizens. negative impact on the ability of our clients couple who owned it, rather than wor- f rying about the loss of their business, to go about their daily lives. Many clients use public transportation to access our serv- REMOVE THE FOREIGN TERRORIST asked officials how they could donate ices, seek and hold employment, and remain ORGANIZATION DESIGNATION food from the freezer to those who independent. This legislation puts jobs and FROM THE MEK needed it most. the services this agency provides to vulner- In Marysville, the local Christian able populations at risk. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from church remains intact, but little else.