[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 97 (Monday, July 20, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H5865]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ON WOMEN'S HEALTH

  (Ms. NORTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today in the name of the 
Bipartisan Women's Caucus to thank the House for the vote last Thursday 
to cover contraceptive prescriptions for Federal employees, the pill, 
the diaphragm, intrauterine devices, Norplant and Depo-Provera. Some 
plans covered no contraceptive prescriptions. None of these 
prescriptions promote abortions. All preserve women's health.
  Without contraception, of course, abortions are promoted, and some of 
these devices in fact lead to abortions because they are not as 
effective as others. That is why women need these choices, at least 
these choices when deciding something as central to their health as 
preventing abortions and deciding whether or not to bear a child. Every 
woman has had some contraceptive device that does not work for her. 
With this bill, we have passed one of the most significant women's 
health bills in many years.

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