Women's Health Protection Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1224, I call up the bill (H.R. 8296) to protect a person's ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy, and to protect a health care provider's ability to provide abortion services, and ask for its immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

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Mr. PALLONE. 8296, the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 8296, the Women's Health Protection Act.

This bill is necessary now more than ever following the Republican- controlled Supreme Court's extreme decision ripping away a woman's right to abortion. The Court's ideological decision ignored nearly 50 years of precedent and is the culmination of decades of unrelenting efforts by Republican politicians to control women and their bodies.

The consequences of last month's decision have been swift and severe. Already, abortion bans are in effect in nine States, and more than a dozen more are expected to either ban or severely limit abortion soon.

As a result, women are being forced to travel long distances to States where abortion remains lawful or, for those who lack logistical or financial support to travel, continue pregnancies against their wishes. There have been devastating stories of patients being denied care and doctors hesitating to provide lifesaving healthcare services out of fear of criminalization.

States have enacted dangerous laws banning abortion without any exceptions, inciting citizens to track and report women in need of an abortion and criminalizing providers or those assisting someone in obtaining care.

These laws turn back the clock on the health, well-being, and equality of women across the Nation. Republicans have made it clear: This is just the beginning. Congressional Republicans are already pushing a nationwide abortion ban that would criminalize abortion in all 50 States.

That is why this House is acting today on the Women's Health Protection Act to restore the right to abortion nationwide. This legislation ensures that no matter where you live, you have a right to comprehensive healthcare that is free from unnecessary restrictions that are intended only to impede access.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to protect the right to abortion and ensure that all Americans are entitled to make their own healthcare decisions.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu), the sponsor of this legislation.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Escobar).

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lois Frankel).

Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida. Madam Speaker, my, my, my, here we go again--or should I say to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle--lie, lie, lie.

The United States Supreme Court has dismantled access to legal abortion giving the very, very personal decision concerning a person's reproductive health, their life and future to strange politicians.

Now, Republicans across the country and in Congress are moving full steam ahead toward their dark and extreme goal of a nationwide abortion ban that will throw doctors into jail, force children to bear children, lead to tragic deaths, and life-changing hardships for people in our country.

That is why I rise in support of the Women's Health Protection Act that will facilitate access to legal abortion care regardless of a person's ZIP Code.

Let me warn everyone that the Republican agenda includes even more drastic intrusions into our personal lives--banning legal abortion is just the start. We will fight back.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette), the chairwoman of Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko), who chairs our Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke), who is a member of our committee.

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to stand against the vile war for reproductive rights of the women in America.

Just under 50 years ago, Roe v. Wade established that every woman holds autonomy over her own body and her reproductive choices. To reject this critical ruling one-half century later at a time when America's maternal healthcare standards are so disgracefully abysmal, particularly for Black and Brown women, is as hateful as it is cruel.

We will not stand for this blatant and brazen attempt to control women. We will not stand for yet another assault that diminishes women by taking away their autonomy of their bodies. We will not stand by and watch extremists erase us from our Constitutional protections.

No. We will not stand for it today. I and my Democratic colleagues will pass the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 and the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act of 2022.

Madam Speaker, I urge our Senators to find the compassion, courage, and their humanity for the women of America by doing the same.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cardenas), who is also a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Craig), who is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from the State of Washington (Ms. Schrier). Dr. Schrier is also a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster), who is a member of our committee.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains on both sides.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), the chairwoman of our Health Subcommittee.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), who is co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries), the chairman of our Democratic Caucus.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Adams).

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).
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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I thank all of the leaders who recognize that reproductive freedom is a constitutional right.

I rise today, and I stand in the name of a 10-year-old rape victim who was denied an abortion and had to run to another State.

I stand in the name of the young woman who induced an abortion and became criminalized.

I stand in the name of rape victims.

I stand in the name of incest victims.

I stand for reproductive freedom.

And I stand in the name of the Constitution and the Ninth Amendment and the right of women with their faith leaders, their families, their extended knowledge, to be able to make their own decision about reproductive freedom.

I stand for the Women's Health Protection Act because it prohibits a State, local, or Tribal Government from telling abortion providers that they should perform medically unnecessary procedures like ultrasounds and provide patients with medically inaccurate information. This would be prohibited by this particular legislation and, as well, to ensure that they would comply with credentialing or other conditions that do not apply to providers who offer medically comparable services.

I stand in order for the Women's Health Protection Act to cover this United States and to ensure that the Constitution and Ninth Amendment prevails.

I stand because the Supreme Court Justices who swore that they believe in precedent for 50 years of Roe v. Wade did, under oath, misrepresent to those who they were speaking to that they would adhere to stare decisis and the precedent.

I stand because in Texas, the bounty hunters are seeking to criminalize and arrest persons. I stand for H.R. 5710 that will criminalize that activity.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise in strong support of H.R. 8296, the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022.

H.R. 8296, the ``Women's Health Protection Act of 2022'' of which I have been a long-time supporter, would prohibit certain government restrictions on access to abortion.

The bill would ensure physicians' ability to prescribe certain drugs, offer abortion services via telemedicine, and provide immediate abortion services when the mother's health is at risk.

Furthermore, the ``Women's Health Protection Act of 2022'' would put an end to the hurdles some states have placed in the way of women accessing abortion care.

This bill would prohibit state, local, or tribal governments from requiring abortion providers to:

Perform medically unnecessary procedures like ultrasounds;

Provide patients with medically inaccurate information or;

Comply with credentialing or other conditions that do not apply to providers who offer medically comparable services.

It would also safeguard all abortions before fetal viability, and after fetal viability when a physician determines the continuation of pregnancy puts the mother's life at risk.

Under this bill, patients would not be required to disclose the reasoning behind their decision to receive an abortion, nor would they be forced to attend medically unnecessary health visits before their procedure appointment.

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to revoke the reproductive rights that women have enjoyed for half a century, Congress must act now to enshrine what is left of women's liberties into law.

I stand in proud support of both H.R. 8296, the ``Women's Health Protection Act of 2022.''

I urge my colleagues to stand up for women and girls and the providers who meet their medical needs every day.

We cannot let those who wish to relegate women to second-class citizens turn back the clock any further.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, so I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Madam Speaker, the Supreme Court's extreme and dangerous decision in Dobbs turns back the clock and jeopardizes the health, well-being, and autonomy of women across the Nation. Access to comprehensive healthcare must include access to abortion, and the ability to access care should not depend on where you live.

The bill before us, the Women's Health Protection Act, restores a right to an abortion nationwide, ensuring that all Americans, regardless of where they live, can make their own decisions about their lives and their futures.

I urge my colleagues across the aisle to support this bill. While Republicans seek to punish and control women by criminalizing abortion nationwide, House Democrats will continue our fight to restore the right to abortion as the law of the land.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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