Balancing the Rights of Women and the Right to Life

Floor Speech

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Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address a very important issue in South Carolina's First Congressional District, the State of South Carolina, and the United States of America.

Last week, a member of the State legislature in South Carolina filed a piece of legislation that would execute women who have abortions. To see this debate go to the dark places, the dark edges where it has gone on both sides of the aisle, has been deeply disturbing to me as a woman, as a female legislator, as a mom, and as a victim of rape. I was raped as a teenager at the age of 16.

This debate ought to be a bipartisan debate where we balance the rights of women and we balance the right to life.

But we aren't having that conversation here in D.C., we aren't having that conversation at home, and we aren't having that conversation with fellow State lawmakers.

This week, I filed a bill that would give women greater access to contraceptives by cutting the red tape, reducing the application fees with the FDA, and reducing that application process by half.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get on board with these issues today.

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