Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. The gentleman from Alabama talks about the First Amendment rights of employers, but, clearly, this statute by the D.C. Government complies with all of the constitutional rights.

What I am concerned about here is discrimination against employees for making their own reproductive health decisions. Apparently, that doesn't matter to the people on the other side of the aisle: the right of people to take birth control, to have in vitro fertilization, or even to have an abortion.

The D.C. Council decided that was an important right, and that is why they passed this legislation. This is why we should preserve it today.

There is absolutely no reason why we should take the rights of self- governance away from D.C., and there is absolutely no reason why we should take the rights of women and families to exercise their legal, constitutional healthcare decisions.

Mr. Chair, I strongly oppose this amendment, and urge a ``no'' vote.

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