[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 30, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H4327]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               MARKING FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF DOBBS RULING

  (Ms. Johnson of Texas was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we have just recognized 4 years 
since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Women today have fewer 
rights and are less safe because of Republicans.
  It is unacceptable that if you are a pregnant woman in this country, 
your only guarantee to access safe, effective care for you and your 
baby is where you live.
  Abortion bans haven't decreased abortions. Instead, they have only 
put women's lives at greater risk.
  If you live in a blue State, you can make your decision that you and 
your family determine is best for you, and you can access the care that 
you feel is appropriate.
  If you live in a red State and have a complication, however, you have 
to be near death to be seen by a medical professional.
  The Texas abortion ban specifically is so confusing and restrictive 
that doctors are refusing to treat pregnant women until they face life-
threatening complications because treating them too soon could send 
that doctor to jail.
  These are the problems that women and families are facing across the 
country because of what Republicans have done, and it is putting lives 
at risk.
  Mr. Speaker, as we observe 4 years since this awful Court decision, 
our fight for safer health and reproductive care for women across this 
country must continue. We must never stop until women have their full 
equality to access the care that they deserve.


                     Achieving a More Perfect Union

  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
250th anniversary of the birth of our great Nation.
  Founded on the ideals of equality and self-determination, the 
American experiment has been an enduring symbol of freedom and 
democracy.
  For 250 years, our Nation has been at the forefront of innovation and 
scientific discovery. It is because of our strong democratic 
institutions and our Nation's diversity that this country is so great.
  Most importantly, we celebrate and honor the sacrifices that so many 
Americans have made to protect and defend the freedoms that we enjoy 
today, but we are at a crossroads.
  Rights are being eroded, not expanded. The right to vote is under 
attack. Racial divisions and healing have taken backward steps, while 
the rise of White Christian nationalism explodes.
  For the first time, our younger generations are not seeing a future 
where they are better off than their parents. We must reset as a 
politic and resume a focus on life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness for everyone; a focus that the rule of law and due process 
matters; and a focus that truth matters, service is honored, and 
accountability exists even at the highest levels of government.
  As we contemplate what it means to be an American today, we can look 
back and see that progress made by our ancestors and look forward 
knowing that, united under our ideals of freedom and equality, we can 
take steps to finally achieve that more perfect Union.

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