Pelosi Floor Speech on the Right to Contraception Act

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Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 8373, the Right to Contraception Act. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

Speaker Pelosi. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know that your Committee, Energy and Commerce, has the full legislative load, and you prioritized this to make – and made the time, so that we could bring this to the Floor in a timely fashion. Because it makes – it means so much, as our distinguished colleague from Florida, Congresswoman Frankel, said: ‘my, my, my, here we are.'

I rise today in strong support of the Right to Contraception Act, which has – to defend access to birth control from the radical right-wing assault on reproductive rights. It's outrageous that – nearly 60 years after Griswold was decided – women must once again fight for fundamental freedom to determine the size and timing of their families. Or if they even want – young people having contraception in their exercise of freedom.

But as Republicans turn back the clock on contraception, Democrats today are making it clear: we are not going back.

I wonder if some of our colleagues – or even people who are advocating to prevent contraception – know what is going on in their own families. With their spouses or with their children and the rest. Could it be that they are all just not using contraception?

But as Republicans – again, thank you to Kathy Manning, our lead sponsor. She has been so courageous, so early on this subject. I congratulate her and her staff for being so ready, as I commend the Chairman for accommodating the legislation. I also join in thanking Sara Jacobs, Angie Craig and Nikema Williams, her co-sponsors on this legislation. And again, thank you, Chairman Pallone.

Let's be clear that punishing and controlling women for using birth control is just another plank in the Republican extreme agenda for America. But House Democrats are fighting back.

Our Right to Contraception Act enshrines into law the unequivocal statutory right to obtain and use contraception. And it protects against any extremist state laws that would seek to restrict that access. That way, even if the radical Republican supermajority on the Supreme Court succeeds in its mission to overturn Griswold, no American can be denied the basic right to birth control, to contraception.

This is a matter of women's health: to prevent unintended pregnancies and to treat or prevent many medical conditions. Contraception is a medical tool beyond contraception.

This is a matter of economic justice. This is a kitchen table issue for America's families, as access to contraception is linked to higher rates of education and employment, while reducing poverty – and is an assault on lower-income people in our country, and many of them people of color. This is an economic injustice assault as well.

And importantly, as a matter of fundamental freedom to make their own decisions about your own body and own life.

And proudly, the people are with us: 96 percent of voters agree that Americans should have access to contraception. By passing the Right to Contraception Act, the House Democrats take another strong step to protect freedom for women and for every American.

Last week, our proud pro-choice, pro-women Democratic Majority passed two major bills to restore and protect health freedom. Our Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act will protect the fundamental right to travel and obtain needed health care. That passed the House last week. Our Women's Health Protection Act will restore the essential protections of Roe v. Wade all across the country.

Republicans have been clear, Madam Speaker. The Republican Leader in the Senate has been clear: the goal is to ban abortion in our country. The – the Associate Justice of the Court has been clear: we have only just begun to overturn women's rights and individual freedom and privacy when it comes to interaction among us all.

And earlier this week, the House passed the landmark Respect for Marriage Act to ensure that marriage equality remains the law of the land, now and for generations to come. Whether it's interracial marriage, whatever.

Let us be clear: those that oppose this legislation are only revealing their dark desire to punish and control America's most intimate and personal decisions.

Madam Speaker, those of us who have served here for a while can tell you that House Republicans have been against contraception for decades. I couldn't even get our colleagues to vote for natural family planning when the Catholic Church came to us and said, ‘We need a correction in the law so funds for natural family planning can go forth.' Republican colleagues said, ‘Let us be clear: we are against family planning, domestically or globally – or internationally.' We had one Republican vote with us and were able to pass the legislation – as requested by the Catholic Church.

What is this about? They are against birth control, but they are for controlling women. This is about servitude. This is about servitude. You couldn't convince people. I would say to people, ‘This isn't just about abortion.' I understand people's position on that. I come from a pro-life family. I respect people's views. But this is about more than that. This is about contraception, birth control, family planning. But now it's clear.

Today, we'll have a vote [on] the right to contraception, and we'll see where our Republican friends are. And I hope they will be with us. We don't put this bill forth to put you on the spot. We put this forth to put women in control of their situation.

I ask those who oppose contraception, again, do you even know what's going on in your own families? Why don't you ask? Do we need a session of the birds and bees to talk about why this is important? What's going on here? Is the blind desire to have women controlled and in servitude such that they don't even want to know the truth about family planning and contraception?

It's never too late – even though you may have opposed this in the past – to stand up for the rights of your wives, your daughters, your granddaughters and all of America's women.

With that, I urge a strong – hopefully bipartisan – vote [on the] Right to Contraception Act. I thank the makers of this motion. Kathy Manning, thank you for your leadership. Sara Jacobs, Nikema Williams, Angie Craig and so many other co-sponsors. A long list of co-sponsors. Over 100 – 150 immediately. I very much thank the Chairman for making this possible today.

With that, I urge an aye vote and yield back the balance of my time.

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