[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 20 (Monday, February 3, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




NO TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION AND ABORTION INSURANCE FULL DISCLOSURE 
                              ACT OF 2014

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. YVETTE D. CLARKE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 28, 2014

  Ms. CLARKE of New York. Madam Speaker, today I rise in opposition to 
H.R. 7, a Republican bill intended only to exacerbate divisions between 
Americans and to undermine the rights of American women to access 
health care.
  H.R. 7 would effectively deny women access to health insurance 
coverage that includes abortion, by taking away important tax benefits 
such as certain tax deductions and premium tax credits used to help pay 
for the cost of health insurance coverage. This bill is so misguided 
and invasive that it does not even allow for coverage when a woman's 
health is in danger.
  Despite the Republicans' ``pro-business'' stance, this bill would 
also limit small businesses' ability to claim existing health care 
deductions or claim the Small Business Health Tax Credit for those 
businesses that offer their employees comprehensive health insurance 
that includes abortion.
  Limiting access to these tax deductions and tax credits not only 
adversely impacts the employees and the small businesses, but also 
harms the American economy. After all, both Democrats and Republicans 
agree that small businesses are the engines of our economy.
  Quite simply, H.R. 7 intrudes upon the relationship between a woman 
and her doctor by limiting a woman's ability to access health insurance 
coverage that includes coverage of abortion and in doing threatens a 
woman's health. The notion that women are incapable of rational 
decision regarding their own bodies and their own health does not have 
any place in the Twenty-First Century.
  So far this year, we have not even had an opportunity to vote on the 
extension of unemployment benefits, nor have we had the opportunity to 
vote on any meaningful jobs bill. Instead, I am ashamed to say that we 
waste our time on bills such as H.R. 7 that politicizes women's access 
to health care and takes our focus off what should be our primary 
goal--creating jobs! Jobs! Jobs!
  I ask my colleagues to oppose this bill.

                          ____________________