[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 149 (Tuesday, September 24, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6362-S6363]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING THE EQUALITY HEALTH CENTER

 Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I come to the floor to honor the 
Equality Health Center, EHC, in Concord, NH, on its 50th anniversary. 
EHC is a nonprofit healthcare facility that has provided comprehensive 
sexual and reproductive care to people throughout New England for five 
decades. In addition to providing health care services, EHC is 
committed to advocacy, education, and outreach for their community. I 
join a grateful community in saluting EHC's staff for their client-
centered, inclusive, accessible, and empowering services.
  The inspiring story of the Equality Health Center begins in 1973 
after the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision. Although the 
ruling affirmed a woman's right to make her own reproductive healthcare 
decisions, these services were often inaccessible and expensive, 
especially in New Hampshire. A group of feminists began meeting in 
Concord to address this inequity and started to envision a nonprofit 
clinic for safe, accessible, and affordable services. A year later in 
October of 1974, New Hampshire Women's Health Services opened its 
doors. In the decades since, the hard-working team at EHC has broadened 
its mission to include providing a wide range of sexual and 
reproductive care, as well as expanding the number of clients it serves 
to include the LGBTQ+ community. To reflect its commitment to inclusive 
services, New Hampshire Women's Health Services proudly changed its 
name in 2016 to Equality Health Center.
  EHC is a nationally recognized expert in abortion services and 
contraceptive care. It offers services that include

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birth control and family planning, gender affirming and non-binary 
care, HIV testing and PrEP, STI testing and treatment, miscarriage 
management, behavioral health, and annual exams. It has received 
numerous awards from the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union, the 
National Women's Health Network, and NARAL-NH. EHC is dedicated to 
building a world where all people have the autonomy to make educated 
choices regarding their healthcare. It provides exceptional care to 
clients with an emphasis on equality, inclusivity, and self-
determination. It is also committed to training future healthcare 
professionals to provide quality and compassionate care.
  EHC is engrained within the Concord community and utilizes 
longstanding local partnerships to accomplish shared goals of 
reproductive freedom and social justice. For example, EHC has educated 
hundreds of individuals about reproductive and sexual health through 
its speaker services at schools and community events.
  On behalf of the people of New Hampshire, I ask my colleagues and all 
Americans to join me in congratulating the Equality Health Center on 
five decades of service and wishing them the best in their future 
endeavors.

                          ____________________