Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2008 --Resumed--

Floor Speech

DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008--Resumed -- (Senate - October 18, 2007)

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Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, let's be very clear. The amendment that has been offered by Senator Vitter is an attack on the health and well-being of all Americans, purely and simply. When you look at the depth and breadth of this amendment which has been offered, it could withhold critical Federal dollars from virtually any health care entity or provider across the country that is in any way tied to abortion services, directly or indirectly.

I wish to remind my colleagues that in some of our rural communities, there is only one health care provider. That clinic may provide flu shots for children, for the elderly, and it may also provide family planning services. This amendment which has been offered would tie that clinic's hands and prevent it from receiving any Federal funds whatsoever. That is just plain wrong.

Our Nation's core health care providers rely on millions of dollars from Medicaid, from family planning, from community health centers, child health, and numerous programs which provide, as we all know, vital health care services to some of our Nation's most vulnerable women, men, and children. But because of the way this amendment is worded, it would put millions of men and women--primarily, of course, those who are low income who can't advocate for themselves, who don't have health insurance--at risk of losing access to family planning and other preventive health care services.

We have all said many times we all want to reduce the number of abortions. It is something on which we all agree. But this amendment, in fact, goes directly against that goal. This amendment is counterintuitive. Eliminating a community's only source of birth control will not reduce the number of abortions. Denying women access to their trusted doctors and nurses won't do it either.

Let's be clear. This amendment is not necessary to prevent family planning funds provided through title X from paying for abortions. As the Senator from California has said, Federal law prohibits that.

Over the past 7 years, we have seen this administration and conservatives in this Congress systematically work to erode reproductive freedoms for women, both in the United States and overseas. In fact, just this week we learned that the President's nominee for Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs has supported dropping a requirement that Federal health insurance plans cover birth control.

I ask for 1 additional minute.

Mrs. BOXER. I yield the Senator 1 additional minute.

Mrs. MURRAY. She called Plan B--the medically safe birth control pill that I and others worked to approve--a ``grave threat to women.''

We all want to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies in this country, but limiting health care and education options will only produce the opposite effect. We have to make sure women have access to safe and affordable family planning alternatives. Cutting them off, as this amendment would do, is the wrong way to go.

I stand with my colleague from California in saying that the Senate needs to stand on record to protect women's rights in this country. This is the time when we need to do it. We are not out here to provide a divisive debate; we are out to defend the rights of women in this country, for which they have worked long and hard. Let's not affect and impact hundreds and hundreds of men and women who are trying to get health care today by an amendment that is divisive and is not needed.

As the Senator from California said today, the funds in this bill that are federally provided do not go for abortions today. We do not need this amendment. We should not take this dangerous step that will impact the lives and health of many women in this country.

I yield the floor.

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