[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 179 (Thursday, December 10, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H9210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               E-FREE ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to tell the story of Kathryn 
Frederickson of Maryland. Kathryn is one of the tens of thousands of 
women that have been harmed by a permanent sterilization device, the 
medical device known as Essure.
  Essure was recommended as the optimal birth control solution for 
Kathryn, despite a pre-existing autoimmune condition and a known nickel 
allergy. After the procedure, she felt severe pain, extreme bleeding, 
vomiting, and rashes, caused by the nickel-based device.
  After 3 weeks of pain and discomfort, Kathryn paid $7,000 out of 
pocket to remove the device. One coil was found in her uterus. She lost 
2 months of work and of her life. Kat's health has never been the same.
  I rise as a voice for the Essure Sisters to tell this Chamber that 
their stories are real, their pain is real, and that their fight is 
real.
  Mr. Speaker, my bill, the E-Free Act, can halt this tragedy by 
removing this dangerous device from the market. Too many women have 
been harmed.
  So I urge my colleagues to join this fight and to join the bill 
because stories like Kathryn's are too important to ignore.

                          ____________________