[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 29, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H1029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   WOMEN'S HEALTH AND CONTRACEPTIVES

  (Mrs. McCARTHY of New York asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about 
the importance of ensuring coverage for contraceptives and the impact 
this has on women's health.
  For centuries, important aspects of women's health care have been 
treated as a political football by advocates on all sides of the issue. 
In politicians' efforts to score political points, women suffer because 
of a lack of access to coverage, a lack of reliable information about 
health care choices, and because many women are vilified for some of 
the health care choices they make.
  It's time to take politics out of women's health, and it's time to 
ensure that women's health coverage includes full access to 
contraception. Birth control can have significant health care benefits 
for women and their families. It can significantly reduce health care 
costs. And it's one of the most commonly taken drugs in the United 
States.
  We need to stop playing games with people's health and instead live 
up to our responsibilities to protect the right of women to make the 
health care choices that are right for them. I look forward to working 
every Wednesday to talk about women's health.

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