[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 101 (Friday, July 16, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        TREASURY AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                    HON. JUANITA MILLENDER-McDONALD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 15, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2490) making 
     appropriations for the Treasury Department, the United States 
     Postal Service, the Executive Office of the President, and 
     certain Independent Agencies, for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2000, and for other purposes:

  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the 
Lowey provision within the Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill. Last 
year, we passed this language with bipartisan support, and I believe we 
can and will do so again today.
  Before this provision was enacted, 81% of all federal employee health 
benefit (FEHB) plans did not cover the most commonly used types of 
prescription contraception while an entire 10% covered no prescription 
contraception at all. At a time when nearly half of all pregnancies in 
this country are unintended, the need for access to reliable, effective 
contraception has never been more imperative.
  Access to contraception helps children and families more than anyone 
else. Parents want to prepare for responsible parenting and want their 
children to grow up in a loving, supportive environment when they are 
prepared to provide it. They need the power to plan for pregnancy in 
order to do this.
  This is just common sense--access to contraceptives is access to 
basic, essential prescription drugs and devices that can decrease the 
number of abortions in this country, which is an objective all Members 
of Congress seek to achieve.
  Contraception is not abortion. Doctors, scientists and the Food and 
Drug Administration, which approves contraceptive drugs and devices all 
confirm that contraceptives prevent pregnancy. It does not end it. This 
bill states an unequivocal prohibition on the coverage of abortion. It 
also makes a clear distinction between the five major forms of 
contraception and mifepristone, better known as RU-486. If RU-486 is 
ever approved by the FDA as a method of abortion, it will not be 
included in this bill as a contraceptive. I applaud the efforts of our 
colleagues, who have worked very hard to ensure that this language 
addresses contraception, and contraception alone.

  In addition to contributing to the national effort to lower the 
number of abortions, this provision narrows the gender gap in out-of-
pocket costs for medical care. Women of reproductive age spend 
approximately 68% more in out-of-pocket health care costs than men. 
Requiring health plans to cover contraception, which without coverage 
can significantly affect and add to a woman's annual costs, helps both 
women and men in managing their families' expenses. Saving money while 
practicing responsible family planning is something we should all 
espouse.
  The money saved by these families generates minimal cost to the 
government. This provision has what Congressional Budget Office calls a 
``negligible'' cost.
  Finally, this language explicitly excludes religious providers from 
this requirement and gives individual providers the chance to opt out 
of providing contraceptive services.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in maintaining the Lowey provision of 
the Treasury bill. It creates vital access to contraception, helps to 
lower the number of unintended pregnancies, narrows the chasm between 
women and men in out-of-pocket costs for medical care, and has 
virtually no budgetary impact. America's families need our leadership 
and sound judgment. We must respond and vote to maintain this sound 
legislation.

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