[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 21, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H1439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

  (Mr. MILLER of North Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. MILLER of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support 
the provisions in the Affordable Care Act that close the gender gap in 
health care. Beginning in 2014, health insurers cannot charge women 
more just because of their gender. Health insurers cannot deny coverage 
because of preexisting conditions like having survived cancer or having 
been pregnant or having been a victim of domestic violence, a condition 
that is almost as disproportionately experienced by women as pregnancy. 
And health care will have to cover preventive services like mammograms, 
screening for cervical cancer and, yes, contraception.
  Republicans in Congress are trying to block these and other reforms 
so that health insurers or employers or Members of Congress can make 
women's health and reproduction decisions rather than trust those 
decisions to women. Madam Speaker, women can make those decisions. They 
really don't need help from insurers or employers or politicians or 
radio talk-show hosts. Women want to make those important personal 
decisions for themselves, and they should.

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