[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 79 (Wednesday, June 15, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF LANDMARK U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION IN 
                        GRISWOLD V. CONNECTICUT

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 15, 2005

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 40th 
anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Griswold v. 
Connecticut. This decision served as the foundation for improvements in 
women's reproductive health, felt even to this day.
  It is difficult to believe that just 40 years ago, it was actually 
illegal for American women to use birth control. But as late as 1965, 
30 states still had laws prohibiting or restricting the sale and use of 
contraception.
  The case of Griswold v. Connecticut involved Estelle Griswold, the 
Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood League of Connecticut, and 
the League's Medical Director, Dr. C. Lee Buxton. Ms. Griswold and Dr. 
Buxton were arrested and convicted under Connecticut's 1879 law 
forbidding the use of contraception or assisting anyone seeking 
contraception. They challenged this law--ultimately fighting their case 
all the way to our Nation's highest court. And, on June 7th 1965, the 
U.S. Supreme Court invalidated the Connecticut law, opening the door 
for nationwide counseling and use of contraception.
  Griswold v. Connecticut paved the way for future decisions regarding 
a women's right to reproductive health and privacy--including the 1972 
U.S. Supreme Court decision that extended the right to access 
contraception to unmarried women.
  Why was Griswold v. Connecticut so important? Well, consider the fact 
that in 1965, 45 percent of births to married women were unintentional. 
But, today, only 14 percent of births to married women occur sooner 
that planned. In 1965, only 38 percent of women used some form of birth 
control. Today, nearly 70 percent of women do.
  With good cause, a recent poll shows that 80 percent of Americans 
strongly support women having access to contraception. With newfound 
ability to control how many children to have and when, women have been 
able to achieve educational and professional goals that before 1965 
were extremely difficult. Access to contraception has dramatically 
changed women's health, giving them dignity and control over their 
lives and their futures. Control over their own bodies has also 
contributed to reductions in maternal and infant mortality through 
better birth spacing and better health status. Because of 
contraception, couples can decide when they are financially and 
emotionally ready to start a family. So children are born into families 
that are ready and able to fully care for them.

  Access and use of birth control are essential components of basic 
preventative health care for women across the U.S. and has successfully 
helped reduce national rates of unintended pregnancies.
  And, who would have predicted in 1965, that the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention would recognize the significant impact of birth 
control on American society? But they did. In 1999, the CDC included 
family planning in their list of the ``Ten Great Public Health 
Achievements in the 20th Century.''
  However, despite these achievements, access to contraceptives is far 
from guaranteed. Today, we, as political leaders, stand at a 
crossroads. We can maintain the status quo, or we can further strive to 
improve reproductive health and reduce unintended pregnancies in this 
country. My Prevention First bill would permit women to take greater 
control over their reproductive health. This legislation would allow 
greater access to contraception by increasing funding for family 
planning services to low-income women and requiring insurance companies 
to cover contraceptives if they cover other prescription drugs.
  Today, as we commemorate the momentous Griswold v Connecticut Supreme 
Court decision that made such a great impact on reducing unintended 
pregnancies by allowing women to control their reproductive health, I 
urge my colleagues to support common sense legislation like the 
Prevention First Act and join me in taking action to further reduce 
unintended pregnancies.
  We have certainly come a long way in just 40 years, but we must 
remain vigilant to ensure that all women have access to the most basic 
reproductive health care services and that they are empowered to make 
the best personal decisions about when they are financially and 
emotionally ready to start a family.

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