[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2494]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE

  (Ms. BONAMICI asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, contraceptive coverage is an issue of 
women's health, access to health care, and affordability that affects 
our entire health care system. As we deliberate this important issue, 
it's imperative that we consider all of the benefits of access to 
contraceptives, starting with the prevention of unplanned pregnancies.
  One thing about which we should all agree is that we need to reduce 
the number of abortions. Now, access to contraceptives plays a critical 
role in that goal, but the benefits don't stop there. Contraceptives 
are often prescribed for certain medical conditions that, untreated, 
could keep women from work, lead to more serious health problems, or 
otherwise impact the quality of their lives. These negative 
consequences are easy to prevent with access to preventive health care, 
which can help with unnecessary costs, both intangible and tangible.
  Unfortunately, too many women across the country suffer every day 
because they don't have access to health care that includes 
contraceptives. This is an issue of access, of affordability, and of 
the rights of women to receive quality health care. I urge my 
colleagues to make that their focus.

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