michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. contraception and reproductive rights have suddenly become a focus of an intense national debate prompted by the recent fight with the white house over whether religious-based employers must provide insurance for birth control. a congressional hearing got heated. some even walked out in protest. northbound's capitol hill correspondent kelly o'donnell reports. >> reporter: the politics of contraception provoked outrage on capitol hill. >> where are the women? when i look at this panel, i don't see one single woman. >> reporter: this picture set off that anger, when only men had a seat at the witness table during a hearing related to contraception. >> we have been denied the right to have a witness. >> reporter: politically the left pwe fines this battle as a women's right and health care equality issue. >> i may at some point be moved