[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 1113-1114]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND THEIR ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, having said that, I am on the floor today 
with a number of my colleagues who will be joining me throughout the 
time here today in the Senate to stand up and to be a voice for women.
  I was so proud to march this weekend with millions of women and men 
in a clear rejection of the hate and division that President Trump 
campaigned on and in strong support of every woman's rights.
  This past weekend, we also recognized the anniversary of the historic 
ruling in Roe v. Wade, a decision that has empowered women and expanded 
economic opportunity and security for families for more than four 
decades.
  I have heard story after story from Washington State and across the 
country about what Roe v. Wade means for women. It means being able to 
plan your family, to be able to pursue your dreams and give back to 
your community. But perhaps most importantly, the decision in Roe v. 
Wade sent a clear message that access to abortion--a woman's right to 
make the most personal of all decisions herself--is fundamental to her 
freedom and her ability to chart her own path.
  Now we have already seen extreme politicians in State after State do 
everything they can to undermine access to abortion. But, today, the 
constitutionally protected rights these women

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have had now for 44 years are, unfortunately, more at risk than ever as 
a result of President Trump's extreme and deeply harmful agenda.
  He has promised to pick Supreme Court nominees whose beliefs about 
women's reproductive rights simply could not be more backwards or 
damaging. Unfortunately, in what looks like a sign of things to come, 
the President yesterday signed an Executive order limiting access to 
safe abortion and other family planning services on women worldwide by 
reinstituting the global gag rule.
  I want to be very clear. If the President continues down this path, 
women will be hurt. Their lives will be put at risk, and the same goes 
for women around the world. So I am very concerned, and I am angry.
  But if Saturday's march proved anything, it proved that women and men 
across this country are more motivated than ever, and, frankly, so am 
I.
  Now, I can understand why President Trump may not have wanted to hear 
from the hundreds of thousands of marchers who completely filled the 
National Mall on Saturday or the millions more who marched nationwide 
in every State--coast to coast--and on every continent. But if he 
didn't get the message, this is just the beginning.
  The millions of women and people who care about women's rights and 
their access to health care are going to keep standing up, and we in 
the Senate are going to continue to stand with them and fight back 
every step of the way and do everything in our power to make sure that 
our country does not go backwards. It will not be easy, but I know we 
can do it if we keep marching together.
  Thank you. I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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