[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 81 (Friday, June 1, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            PRENATAL NONDISCRIMINATION ACT (PRENDA) OF 2012

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 30, 2012

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Prenatal 
Nondiscrimination Act, PRENDA, of 2012 (H.R. 3541).
  Every Member of the House opposes the abhorrent practice of gender 
selection, including me. In Minnesota, prohibiting sex-selective 
abortions has passed on a bipartisan basis in the State House of 
Representatives in 2007 and 2010. Unfortunately, the bill before us is 
not about protecting girls. It is about politics. H.R. 3541 is an 
attempt by House Republicans to restrict women's access to legal 
reproductive health care services by threatening medical professionals 
with legal action.
  Under this bill, health care providers could face civil penalties or 
even criminal prosecution for failing to report confidential 
conversations they have with woman about terminating a pregnancy. Ten 
leading medical associations oppose this bill, arguing that ``H.R. 3541 
would require that medical and mental health professionals violate 
doctor-patient confidentiality and report known or suspected 
violations.'' Physicians take an oath to be trusted counselors for 
their patients, not secret informers for the government. Many recite 
the modem version of the Hippocratic Oath, which states: ``I will 
respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not 
disclosed to me that the world may know.'' It is wrong for Congress to 
empower politicians to interfere in the very personal and private 
relationship between a woman and her health care provider.
  Women must have control over their own health care decisions and be 
able to trust their doctors to provide confidential medical guidance 
free from ideologically-driven misinformation or government 
interference. H.R. 3541 threatens these basic principles.
  Congress can and should do more to fight gender discrimination and 
improve the lives of women and girls. I urge my Republican colleagues 
to join House Democrats in our efforts to increase women's access to 
affordable, comprehensive health care, achieve pay equity and ensure 
all girls can obtain a quality education. Bipartisan support for such 
policies would be the strongest statement about America's commitment to 
gender equality.
  I urge all my colleagues to oppose H.R. 3541.

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