[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 73 (Wednesday, May 19, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                EQUAL ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 19, 1999

  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to report to my colleagues the 
actions of the House Armed Services Committee. I want to commend the 
committee for the important step it has made toward providing equal 
access to reproductive health care for U.S. servicewomen and 
dependents.
  During the committee's debate of the FY 2000 Department of Defense 
Authorization bill, I was proud to continue the work of my friend and 
our former colleague Congresswoman Jane Harman. I know my fellow 
Members join me in recognition of her efforts in this area.
  The bill endorsed today by the committee safeguards abortion services 
for those whose pregnancies are due to rape and incest. This is good 
news for American soldiers and dependents, and it's good news for our 
armed forces.
  I am disappointed that the committee chose to reverse the Personnel 
Subcommittee's bipartisan endorsement of my amendment to reverse the 
ban on privately funded abortions at U.S. military facilities overseas. 
Nevertheless, our fighting men and women--and their families--will 
benefit from the committee's decision today.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on the house floor to 
ensure that we make life safer and healthier for our military women and 
dependents, because that makes for a better prepared, more able 
fighting force. This is indeed a major victory for our servicewomen and 
military families.

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