[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 26, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S10192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Lautenberg, Mrs. 
        Boxer, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Inouye, Mr. 
        Kerry, Mr. Jeffords, and Mr. Chafee):
  S. 3945. A bill to provide for the provisions by hospitals of 
emergency contraceptives to women, and post-exposure prophylaxis for 
sexually transmitted disease to individuals, who are survivors of 
sexual assault; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I am proud to introduce the 
Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act, a bill that will 
help sexual assault survivors across the country get the medical care 
they need and deserve.
  It is hard to argue against this commonsense legislation. Rape--by 
definition--could never result in an intended pregnancy. Emergency 
contraception is a valuable tool that can prevent unintended pregnancy. 
This bill makes emergency contraception available for survivors of 
sexual assault at any hospital receiving public funds.
  Every 2 minutes, a woman is sexually assaulted in the United States, 
and each year, 25,000 to 32,000 women become pregnant as a result of 
rape or incest. According to a study published in the American Journal 
of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 50 percent of those pregnancies end in 
abortion.
  By providing access to emergency contraception, up to 95 percent of 
those unintended pregnancies could be prevented if emergency 
contraception is administered within the first 24 to 72 hours. In 
addition, emergency contraception could also give desperately needed 
peace of mind to women in crisis.
  I am proud that for 3 years, this has already been law in New York 
State. Survivors of sexual assault and rape receive information and 
access to emergency contraception at every hospital in the State. As a 
result, victims are getting better care than they ever have before in 
New York. This bill will allow women nationwide to benefit from the 
same standard of care New Yorkers receive.
  In New York City, women are benefiting from Mayor Bloomberg's 
significant initiative to expand access to emergency contraception and 
family planning services and improve maternal and infant outcomes. I 
applaud this focus on increasing awareness about emergency 
contraception--to all women--so that we can work together at decreasing 
the rate of unintended pregnancy in this country.
  The FDA recently made EC available over the counter for women 18 
years of age and older. Despite the ideologically driven agenda against 
this drug, the research has been consistently clear--this drug is safe 
and effective for preventing pregnancy. The FDA's own scientific 
advisory committees and more than 70 major medical organizations, 
including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical 
Association recommended EC be made available without a prescription. If 
pharmacies stock this drug for any citizen of age, surely hospitals 
should provide women in crisis with the information necessary to 
evaluate this option for themselves.
  Women deserve access to EC. For millions of women, it represents 
peace of mind. For survivors of rape and sexual assault, it offers hope 
for healing and a tomorrow free of painful reminders of the past. Let 
us recommit ourselves to the fight to better protect and serve our 
Nation's sexual assault survivors.

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