Congresswoman Barbara Lee Receives Planned Parenthood’s Champion for Women’s Health Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2013
Contact: Carrie Adams (202) 225-2661
Washington, D.C.— The following is a speech delivered by Congresswoman Barbara Lee upon receiving Planned Parenthood’s 2013 Champion for Women’s Health Award:
“Good evening everyone! Thank you Liz Figueroa for that kind introduction!
“Liz and I have been friends for many years. We served in the California legislature together, and I know she has been constant in her fight for women’s rights, especially healthcare.
“I just want to thank you and Planned Parenthood Federation of America for your unyielding leadership and work over the years, and especially with the relentless attacks on women and their reproductive rights.
“As a fellow Texan – I was born in El Paso – I just want to say, Cecile, you are doing an amazing job leading Planned Parenthood. I always feel so proud watching you in your appearance on TV, in the news, always defending our rights as an articulate spokesperson and warrior woman. And I know your mother, who I had the privilege to know, is smiling on you every day.
“I’d also like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank Senator Harkin for his tremendous leadership in the Senate. Congress will lose a steadfast defender of women when you retire next year, and your shoes will not be easily filled. It has been a pleasure working with you over the years on issues that are vital to women’s health.
“Even amidst the most recent frustrating and baseless attacks on women, in recent years, we have made some remarkable progress for women’s health.
“The Affordable Care Act – which you all know is now being implemented across the United States – guarantees life-saving preventative health services to millions of insured and previously uninsured or under-insured women. And as Cecile said, no longer will being a woman constitute a pre-existing condition. The Affordable Care Act also includes access to essential family planning benefits such as oral contraceptives without a co-pay or cost sharing, mammograms, and well-woman visits.
“But, we are up against a steady head wind.
“We know that family planning reduces the need for abortions. There are many who don’t want women to plan their families, to have access to safe and legal abortions, and who want politicians making their health decisions for them.
“We’ve got some Members of Congress who are so bent on making it harder for women to have control over their bodies that they will vote again and again on anti-woman bills – from 20 week abortion bans to repealing the Affordable Care Act.
“Every day, we are fighting the – yes, it is a – war on women. Even in the Appropriations Committee – every single day, we are in a fight. Every single day we are pushing back against the efforts to turn back the clock; it is never ending!
“So what do we have to do? We must fight back. Thank God all of you and Planned Parenthood are on the front lines. We’ve got to make certain that we are not only ensuring access, but opening access.
“These are rights that I will continue to defend, not only as a legislator, not only as a woman, but as a woman who personally knows the profound impact of these decisions. I remember very vividly the days of back alley abortions. I know many of you do too. Well we will never go back there. We never will.
“Access to family planning saves lives, and it means that women are healthier, and when, or if, a woman makes the decision to start or grow their families, their families will have better outcomes as well.
“The majority of Americans understand this. Women understand this. And it is time that the men leading the charge against women’s health understand this, and learn to respect it. Until they do, I will continue to stand with Planned Parenthood and to advocate for women’s health to demand that women’s rights are protected!
“We also need to pass my legislation, H.R. 725 calling for comprehensive sex education.
“And we must repeal the Hyde Amendment and the ban on D.C. using their own funds to provide access to for low-income women.
“So we still have plenty of work to do – but as you’ve demonstrated time and time again, I know that you are up to the challenge, and I will be standing beside you every step of the way.
“Together, we can defend women’s health. We can defend women’s choice. We can defend women.
“Thank you again for this tremendous honor!”
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Follow Barbara Lee on Facebook and Twitter at @RepBarbaraLee. To learn more, visit lee.house.gov.
Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the newly formed Whip’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.