Women's Healthcare Decisions

Floor Speech

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Mr. VEASEY. Madam Speaker, we are less than 5 days away from hearing oral arguments in the Supreme Court case that could steal the right away from women to make their own healthcare decisions.

In 2013, the Texas State legislature passed House Bill 2, a very strict anti-abortion law that imposed medically unnecessary restrictions on women's healthcare providers. Lawmakers claimed their motivation was to protect women's health care, but Texas women can attest that the law has done little to expand their access to health care.

Since the passage of HB 2, over 20 clinics in Texas have shut down. Women in Dallas are facing delays as long as 20 days for an initial abortion consultation. Other States have followed the lead, with 22 States passing similar laws that are targeting abortion providers just in the last few years.

Roe v. Wade made it clear that women have a constitutional right to make choices about their own bodies.

Planned Parenthood v. Casey reaffirmed that a State cannot create an undue burden on women when they seek to exercise their right to safe and legal abortions. Ultimately, a constitutional right means nothing without the ability to exercise that right.

I am confident that the Supreme Court will reaffirm that women are constitutionally protected to make their own healthcare decisions.

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