[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 26 (Thursday, February 16, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       NO AMERICAN WOMAN SHOULD BE DENIED CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. One of the many things I love about America is we are 
a country of second chances. You can fail and still have a chance to 
get ahead in our Nation of opportunity. There was a time that it looked 
like Steve Jobs might not make it. He was forced out of his company, 
and Apple looked like it might become a historical footnote--until 
Apple realized its mistake and asked Steve Jobs to return and put him 
back on top.
  Our current basketball sensation, Jeremy Lin, knows a thing or two 
about second chances. He was undrafted by the NBA, and he was cut twice 
before landing with the New York Knicks. Other than my hometown Chicago 
Bulls hero, Derrick Rose, Lin is the most exciting story in sports. 
America is about second and third and fourth chances, which brings me, 
of course, to Newt Gingrich.
  Now, some might say that Newt being considered at all for President 
of the United States is a second chance. After all, his reign as 
Speaker of the House did not end well. It didn't end with good policy 
for America, good politics for Republicans, or good feelings about his 
personal reputation. Yet, he's hanging in there in the race for 
Commander in Chief. Now that's a second chance I'm talking about today.
  I'm talking about Newt Gingrich's reaction to President Obama's 
effort to provide contraceptive coverage to all American women. Mr. 
Gingrich has been trumpeting his outrage, from ``Meet the Press'' to 
CPAC to any town hall meeting that will have him. He said: ``President 
Obama has basically declared war on the Catholic Church.''
  To be clear: ``President Obama has basically declared war on the 
Catholic Church.''
  That's the second chance I want to talk about this morning, Newt 
Gingrich as spokesperson for the Catholic Church. Newt Gingrich as the 
right man to stand up as a protector of the values of the Catholic 
faith.
  If Newt Gingrich, Catholic spokesperson, is not a generous, forgiving 
second chance, then I don't think one has ever existed in America.
  Now, I'm Catholic. And as a pro-choice legislator who strongly 
believes that no American woman should be denied contraceptive coverage 
based on where she works, I don't always see eye to eye with my church, 
so I don't pretend to be a spokesman or someone who can speak for all 
Catholics. Good people can disagree on tough issues.
  But apparently Newt Gingrich is well-positioned to decide when our 
President has declared ``war'' on the Catholic faith. He isn't 
reluctant to speak on their behalf, even with a personal history that 
seems to be at odds with some of the teachings of the Catholic Church.
  Frankly, I think his personal life is none of our business, but when 
he wants to dictate morality to the rest of America, when he accuses 
our President of engaging in ``religious persecution,'' when he demands 
that his personal values be shared by all American women, he makes his 
personal life part of the public discourse.
  I support the President's call for equity for all American women. I 
salute him for standing up for fairness in contraceptive coverage in 
all health care plans. I support the President's effort to find a 
compromise that respects every American's religious beliefs. He did 
something hard for a leader. He listened to his critics, he worked to 
find common ground, moderate ground, and he changed. And I applaud him 
for that.
  And I applaud the American people for reminding us that everybody 
gets a second chance, even a chance for Newt Gingrich to stand up for 
American Catholics. If Newt Gingrich can speak for American Catholics, 
then it's true: in America, anything is possible.
  Just consider what could happen. Maybe Charlie Sheen can become the 
spokesperson for the temperance movement. Lou Dobbs can be the face of 
immigrant rights. LeBron James can be in charge of the Cleveland 
Chamber of Commerce. And the cast of Jersey Shore can lead a national 
campaign for manners, humility, and modesty.
  If Newt Gingrich can do it, why can't they? In fact, if Newt Gingrich 
can do it, why can't I?
  This is me with Senator Bill Bradley. He's over 6 foot 6, and I'm 
barely 5 foot 6. He has noticed the difference, and he is giving me a 
friendly kiss on the top of my head. So I'm pleased to announce today 
that if Newt Gingrich can speak for all Catholics, I'm going to start 
speaking for all tall people.
  That's right. Five-foot-six Congressman Luis Gutierrez, president of 
the National Association of Extremely Tall Americans. I'm no expert on 
being tall. But then again, Newt doesn't really seem to be an expert on 
the rules of the Catholic Church either, so what's going to stop me?

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