Announcement By the Acting Chair

Floor Speech

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Mrs. SYKES. Mr. Chair, I didn't come to Congress to play politics. I came here to put the needs of Ohio's 13th Congressional District first, not to vote on bogus, oppressive, extreme, barbaric, erroneous, ridiculous, time-wasting amendments like this one.

Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for my colleagues who are choosing to play partisan games with our national security by including amendments that would strip lifesaving reproductive healthcare away from our women in uniform.

This is nothing more than the latest attempt by House Republicans to advance their extreme agenda taking us backward by punishing women and banning abortion nationwide.

As the vice chair of the Bipartisan Women's Caucus, we just recently honored and recognized our women in uniform, but today we are dishonoring those women.

Our military was founded to protect our freedoms. Politicians should not be making healthcare decisions for any woman, but especially not for our women in uniform who serve us each and every day.

I cannot support any legislation that impedes on a woman's freedom to make decisions about her healthcare, even if it is no longer constitutionally protected.

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