[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 177 (Thursday, November 20, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Mrs. Murray):
  S. 20. A bill to prohibit the implementation 'or enforcement of 
certain regulations; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, as this session comes rapidly to a 
close, my colleague Senator Murray and I are introducing critical 
legislation to suspend the Bush administration's latest attempt to put 
ideology before women's health. The rule being proposed by the 
administration would limit patients' access to basic reproductive 
health care services and information.
  The Protecting Patients and Health Care Act would prevent HHS from 
implementing this ill-conceived, midnight regulation.
  As you know, Senator Murray and I have been speaking out against this 
rule since July. The rule, as it was then proposed in August by the 
Department of Health and Human Services, is a serious threat to 
patients' access to information and care.
  Then in September, Senator Murray and I had a very frank conversation 
with Secretary Leavitt about how this rule could create a slippery 
slope leading to patients being denied access to contraception and 
other important information or care. However, despite the important 
concerns we raised to the Secretary, the New York Times reported this 
past Monday that in the coming days, HHS plans to release a final 
regulation that would undermine women's health.
  I am hopeful that my Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle 
will join me today in supporting this important piece of legislation to 
protect patients' rights and health care.
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