[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2495]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE

  (Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, former New York 
Governor Mario Cuomo, a man who saw the duality in being a legislator 
and a man of faith, once noted that ``all religiously based values 
don't have an a priori place in our public morality.'' I think my 
colleagues have forgotten that message in recent days when it comes to 
women's health, ignoring the important impacts that access to 
contraceptives can mean for women.
  Contrary to what some of my colleagues may believe, contraception is 
not a cheap, easily accessible solution for all women. An objective, 
nonpartisan panel developed recommendations for contraceptive coverage 
paid for by religiously affiliated employers. The Obama administration 
adopted new regulations based on these recommendations.
  These regulations were not designed to jeopardize anyone's religious 
freedom. These regulations were designed to protect the health needs of 
women, period. We should be doing everything possible to support 
women's health, not attacking women for demanding better health care.

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