[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 80 (Thursday, May 31, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            PRENATAL NONDISCRIMINATION ACT (PRENDA) OF 2012

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 30, 2012

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank Congresswomen 
DeGette and Slaughter, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus 
and our colleagues for standing up for women's health today.
  As a Member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus and Health Care 
Task Force Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I 
rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3541.
  This bill would do nothing more than lead to the further 
stigmatization of women--especially Asian-Pacific American women--who 
seek to exercise their constitutional rights to an abortion.
  It is clear that Republicans are not serious about addressing the 
very real issues of gender discrimination that persist in this country.
  Supporters of this bill are exploiting serious issues like racism and 
sexism to forward their goal of making all abortion illegal.
  And we already know that attempts to restrict or deny access to safe 
abortions is harmful to women's health and would ultimately take us 
back to the days of back alley abortions.
  If this bill passes it would forever change the doctor-patient 
relationship as we know it, by casting suspicion on doctors that serve 
communities facing the greatest health disparities--many of which are 
minority communities.
  And this is why the bill is opposed by some 100 organizations, 
including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; 
American Public Health Association and the American Society for 
Reproductive Medicine.
  If supporters are serious about advancing the real interests of 
women, I urge them to vote no on this bill.

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