[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 46 (Friday, March 10, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H1263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          BALANCING THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND THE RIGHT TO LIFE

  (Ms. MACE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address a very important issue 
in South Carolina's First Congressional District, the State of South 
Carolina, and the United States of America.
  Last week, a member of the State legislature in South Carolina filed 
a piece of legislation that would execute women who have abortions. To 
see this debate go to the dark places, the dark edges where it has gone 
on both sides of the aisle, has been deeply disturbing to me as a 
woman, as a female legislator, as a mom, and as a victim of rape. I was 
raped as a teenager at the age of 16.
  This debate ought to be a bipartisan debate where we balance the 
rights of women and we balance the right to life.
  But we aren't having that conversation here in D.C., we aren't having 
that conversation at home, and we aren't having that conversation with 
fellow State lawmakers.
  This week, I filed a bill that would give women greater access to 
contraceptives by cutting the red tape, reducing the application fees 
with the FDA, and reducing that application process by half.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get 
on board with these issues today.

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