Providing for Consideration of H.R. Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Pregnant Students' Rights Act; and Providing for Consideration of H.J. Res. Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the Rule Submitted By the Bureau of Land Management Relating to Public Land Order No. 7917 for Withdrawal of Federal Lands; Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, Mn

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, right now, millions of Americans are struggling to afford healthcare. Millions of new and expecting mothers are seeing their premiums skyrocket and they are being forced to go without health insurance. Across this country, countless women are being forced to flee their States for lifesaving abortion care while too many others have suffered or died waiting for care that should never have been denied.

Mr. Speaker, the legislation this body is considering today does nothing to address these real crises. Instead, it diverts scarce Federal antipoverty dollars, TANF dollars, away from struggling families and toward so-called crisis pregnancy centers that exist to shame, mislead, and delay women from accessing abortion care.

This bill does nothing to lower healthcare costs. It does nothing to help families afford prenatal care, childbirth, or postpartum care. It does nothing to address the deadly consequences of extreme Republican abortion bans that are forcing women to delay care and risk their lives.

Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question on this rule, my Democratic colleagues and I will offer my bill, the Women's Health Protection Act, or WHPA. WHPA is the Federal solution to the extremist Supreme Court's decision to strike down Roe v. Wade. It would restore the right for everyone, no matter what State they live in, no matter their ZIP Code, to receive abortion care.

In a world where doctors are being threatened with prison time for doing their jobs, it would protect providers who are simply trying to save lives. This is the legislation this body should be considering today.

I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can bring up this important legislation.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source