Transcripts For CSPAN Reproductive Rights Advocates On Roe Overturned Health Care 20220903

On Healthcare Providers and the impact of marginalized communities. This runs about two hours and 15 minutes. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] good morning. The senate health, education, labor and Pensions Committee will please come to order. Today we are having a hearing on reproductive care in america following the Supreme Courts devastating decision in dobbs to overturn roe v. Wade. I will have an Opening Statement followed by senator marshall. We will then editors are witnesses, and after the witnesses give their testimony, senators will each have five minutes for a round of questions. While we are unable to have the hearing fully open to the public or media for in person at cantons, live video is available on our Committee Website and a live stream will include closed captioning if youre needed by the accommodations please reach out to the committee or to the office of congressional accessibility services. Three weeks ago the Supreme Court and the republicans are dedicated years to swinging the court aggressively to the right drag our country back 50 years. They overturn roe v. Wade, ended the right to abortion, and upended the lives of millions of people. And the consequences have been harsh and swift. Women sobbed in clinics and they had their abortions canceled. Their personal healthcare decisions overruled, their futures thrown into jeopardy, and their control over their own bodies taken away. It was heartbreaking, terrifying, enraging, and barbaric. And that was just day one. Since then the devastating repercussions of republicans cruelty continued to crash around us. Women unable to get abortions for any reason, Healthcare Providers unable to do their jobs without risking prison, patients with lupus, kansas, arthritis and more denied the medications that they need. Complete uncertainty for people planning their futures as access to plan b and ivs have been thrown into jeopardy. And republicans response to this devastation is to discuss how they can push even further. Be even harsher, take even more power away from patients and scare even more doctors out of their jobs. Some republicans are talking about a federal ban on abortion, overruling laws in states like my home state of washington, and ripping away rights from my constituents. Republicans are talking about criminal penalties for women and Healthcare Providers, and about making traveling to get an abortion illegal. They are talking about everything except the actual harm they are causing. This is a Health Care Crisis that was entirely unavoidable was entirely avoidable and is entirely their own creation. I have been warning for years about republicans attacks on reproductive rights putting lives at risk here and i am far from the only one. Women providers and patients across the country have all been shouting from the rooftops that overturning roe would be devastating. But republicans refused to listen to me or to the majority of people across the country who wanted roe to stand, who wanted to keep their rights and preserve womens ability to control their own bodies. And republicans are still continuing to spread disinformation about the reality that we are now facing and about the consequences of this backwards agenda. When the leak decision came out, republicans tried to say they were not going to put women and doctors in jail, even a state legislatures across the country were already moving to do just that. And they are still trying to say it wont be that bad, even when it is clearly devastating for women across the country who they are ignoring and oppressing. Today we are to hear exactly what this cruelty means for women seeking abortions, women republicans will force to stay pregnant when they do not want to be, women whose bodies republicans are taking control of without their consent and against their wishes. And this isnt just about whether people want to be parents. But let me be perfectly clear. We must away more than republicans have ever dreamed of doing to actually support parents. Childcare, paid leak of you name it. Republicans have blocked democrats nonstop efforts to deliver for working families. But anyone who has given birth also knows this isnt just about whether you are ready to raise a child. Pregnancy is a lifechanging medical procedure. It takes a physical toll. It takes a mental toll. And for too many women in our country it takes their life. No one should be forced to go through this against their will. But republicans are going to force women to stay pregnant not only when they dont want to be but even when it could kill them. Just ask elizabeth who i spoke with last weekend spokane. She has been pregnant four times, all planned, all wanted. But twice she learned her pregnancy would be fatal if it was not ended. In the first instance she got the heartbreaking news that one of the twins that she was carrying had died. The other could not possibly survive outside the womb, and that her life was now in great danger. And the second instance she was told that without immediate action she would lose too much blood to survive the night. And that she told me, and i quote, had i lived in a state without access to safe and legal abortion, i would have died, leaving out on the side of the road trying to make it to a state that would help me. Those are the stakes here cannot just for elizabeth but for many patients. About one in 50 pregnancies in our country are a topic. That means theyre not viable and without medical action they are deadly. But in republicans postroe world Healthcare Providers are not sure when or even if they will be able to treat a tactic patients without being sent to prison. Some have already been instructed to observe patience until then unstable vital signs before acting. Basically sit on your hands until women are at dire risk before you can do what is medically necessary. That is absolutely barbaric and it is a policy choice to republicans have made. Now, some may try to suggest that patients go to another state but if youre in the middle of a medical emergency that is dangerous or impossible, not to mention that some republicans are already talking about banning interstate travel and we cannot lose sight of the fact that the same patients and providers that hurt by these restrictions are on the front lines of our nations Maternal Mortality crisis. We have the worst Maternal Death rate in the developed world, and in the very states where it is the most dangerous to give birth, republican legislatures are now forcing people to give birth against their will. It doesnt take an expert to understand this is only going to get worse because of the dangerous abortion bans. Women will be denied the care they need, they carry their doctors know could save their lives. States will lose maternal Healthcare Providers who understandably dont want to live where they could be jailed for doing their job. This will be especially hard on people in rural areas, on women of color, and on women with disabilities who already have a particularly difficult time finding a provider who takes their concerns seriously and understands their healthcare needs. And they can be even harder still for transgender patients seeking reproductive care while facing stigma, discrimination and bigotry. And make no mistake, this isnt just going to devastate patients in states with abortion bans. First off i want to be very clear. Republicans have been explicit, they want to go further. They want to pass legislation to go after people who help patients travel for an abortion. And a National Abortion ban that would trample the rights of patients in Washington State. And secondly, even now Health Clinics are being overwhelmed. I was in spokane last week only miles from the idaho border, d providers of their are already seeing an uptick of patience and preparing for a huge surge of patients seeking care when idahos extreme ban goes into effect next door. We are talking as many as five times more people seeking abortions at our clinics. They are in the front lines of a fullblown healthcare crisis. And lets not forget that are so many women who cannot travel to get an abortion, who dont have the time or the resources, who face barriers to accessible travel or are too young to drive themselves. Theres also the very real risk that people with no other options will turn to dangerous, even deadly, misinformation that is spreading of social media because as i have warned before many times, banning abortion doesnt stop abortions. It just stops people from getting safe abortions. And it is not only women seeking abortions were having their lives totally upended by republicans. Its women seeking Birth Control. Some republicans have discussed going after contraception next, and Justice Thomas that the Supreme Court should overturn the right to Birth Control. People hoping to start a family using ivf could also be under threat. Ivf providers have serious concerns about whether parents and providers could be punished if an embryo doesnt survive being sought for implementation or for disposing unused embryos. That is an idol worrying because republicans in several states have already proposed extreme bills that ban abortions starting at conception and could impact ivf and some methods of Birth Control. And already pharmacies have told patients with lupus, arthritis and other conditions they cant fill their prescriptions due to concerns the drugs would be used for an abortion. And lets be clear, those drugs the fda approved as safe and effective for their condition years ago. There are also Cancer Patients who may be unable to start chemotherapy until they can get an abortion. And then there are people who have a miscarriage. Abortion bans could jeopardize their health and stop them from getting the care they need to do in their miscarriage. And afterwards they could still face another nightmare, being reported by someone who thinks they got an abortion. Imagine going through the heartbreak of losing your pregnancy and then being put in prison for it. And this doesnt have to be an exercise in imagination. From 20062020, over 1000 women in this country were investigated, detained, or arrested because of their pregnancy outcomes. That is horrific. Its a problem was to be trying to solve, and instead thanks to republicans, its about to get dramatically worse. Thats why what people acroe country are so scared and so heartbroken and so angry, and i am, too. Because the stakes could not possibly be high. Thats what i Led Senate Democrats in pushing President Biden and his administration to do everything they can to protect access to abortion and Reproductive Health care. And President Bidens executive order on abortion last week was a good, important step. But this fight is far from over. As we continue living through a postroe healthcare crisis, i am still urging the president to continue to fight back. But with limited executive authority, ultimately we need more prochoice senators in the senate willing to waive the filibuster so we can protect women. If we can get that, we can codify roe as well is put in law key protections for women. It is a simple as that. We also need to hold republicans accountable for the harsh reality they have now created. And that is why i am holding this hearing today. Its why later this week we will call for unanimous consent to pass a bill to protect women who travel to another state for abortion care to show the stark contrast between republicans, cruel agenda democrats steadfast commitment to making sure women can get the Reproductive Health care they need. Thats why im going to continue standing with women and lifting at patient voices. Anyone who thinks im going to stop, any republican who thinks people will forget about this in a few months, you still dont get it. How do you forget being denied your prescription because of this, or being denied your Birth Control . How do you forget having to drive across the states to end the pregnancy so you can fight for your life against cancer . How do you forget being forced to choose between saving your patient or going to jail . How do you forget your dream of starting a family through ivf becoming a legal nightmare . How do you ever in your life forget being investigated for your miscarriage, or driving her tenyearold daughter across state lines after she was raped and could not get an abortion otherwise quacks and a little do you have to care about women to think that anyone will forget the people who were killed by this . Women who cant get an abortion but need one, who turned to unsafe information because they were denied access to safe medical care, people who didnt get a prescription filled, couldnt start chemo or died inn a Maternal Healthcare desert since doctors dont want to be treated like criminals for doing their job. People will not forget those losses. They will sit across from that empty chair every day and they will sleep next to their empty space every night. Mark my words, they will not forget. And democrats are not going to let republicans ignore them either. We will not let them whistle past the graveyard they have spent so long digging, and we will absolutely not stop fighting with everything we have got to in this chaos, save lives, and codify the right to abortion into law. We will never stop fighting for womens rights to control their own bodies. Never. Senator marshall. Thank you, chair murray. Overturning roe v. Wade was a historic occasion that signals a new beginning for millions of unborn american babies. Now the future of saving lives rests with the American People and their elected officials in the states, but this work is not finished. Family planning opportunities need to be expanded and methods need greater access to services that will support them and her baby the route and after the pregnancy. I am looking for to informing the American Public by the Supreme Courts decision is a positive development for our country and setting the medical directors straight in the face of proabortion for mongering. I appreciate Ranking Member bird for yielding the opportune to lead this income to use my knowledge and background as an ob gyn to deliver a baby nearly every day for 25 years as well as held the hands of hundreds of women suffering miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, infertility and lifethreatening complications. Having delivered more than 5000 babies and supervise family clinics i like to dispel several myths that are being heaved at the public. Myth number one, overturning roe is a federal ban on abortion. Thats not true, overturning roe actually since the issue to elected state officials allowing the citizens of each state to address highly emotional issue via their elected officials. Nevertheless, we will hear this false battle cry multiple times this morning. Myth number two, women will not have access to abortion. Thats not true. Even the New York Times reported after overturning roe, abortion will decrease by only 14 . Its also worth noting that after texas passed its heartbeat law, to study showed abortion fell around 10 . After roe, 27 states and and washington, d. C. Continue to be largely unaffected, while 19 states have protect a low. The other states almost like a fall someone there in between. Myth three, overturning roe means Healthcare Professionals and hospitals cannot treat women with miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies or when the moms life is endangered. These are all scare tactics preying on the emotions of people. Listen, every state abortion law triggered by overturning roe includes an exception to save the life of the mother. Treating miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies are not the same as performing abortions. In fact, no abortion law in any state in america prevents treatment for women with ectopic pregnancies and or other lifethreatening conditions. I remember my first year in residency when we were learning about Ectopic Pregnancy and our model was to never let the sun set on an Ectopic Pregnancy. That model will be continued throughout america. Every prolife position i know of, every physician that i know of including myself has always and will always care for these clinical conditions and there are no laws that prevent such. This is a total fabricated myth. Myth four. I quote members across the aisle on this. Overturning roe is devastating to Womens Health. Members will apply today carrying a baby to term is more dangerous than an abortion. So using their logic should we abort every baby . Should we stop all childbearing . Presenting a portion of the lifesaving solution for women facing challenging pregnancies is a warped view of healthcare. It denies the modern medical science that can bring both mother and baby safely through, even a high risk pregnancy. Myth five. Americans dont support limits on abortion. A recent poll from the ap finds while 61 of americans say abortion should be illegal in most or all circumstances in the first trimester of pregnancy, 65 said abortion should usually be illegal in the second trimester and 80 said that about the third trimester. And from a june monmouth poll, 36 of american support americans support abortions as always legal. While only 30 believe it should be illegal with limitations. Myth six. Many claim the United States fell behind our International Peers on Abortion Access. Look, only seven nations allow abortions beyond 20 weeks including china and north korea. The final myth i will talk about this morning. Heres the myth. Republicans want to end contraception and Family Planning. Nothing could be further from the truth. In my first year in residency after i delivered several babies that were 13, their moms were 13 years of age i made a commitment to make sure that there was early access to prenatal care for everybody, and access to contraception as well. Regardless of the womans ability to pay in any community i practice, and thats why set up and volunteer to prenatal and Family Planning clinics in residence and thats why oversaw three Community Health centers in rural kansas and accepted all comers to our prenatal clinics. This is why every year we fight for robust funding for Community Health centers and Health Departments. So what does obstetrical care look like after will . We do so many of the mr. Women with ms. Carries and ectopic pregnancies will be treated without exception. Life of the mom will continue to be honored and plan b remains overthecounter. Republicans and democrats must Work Together and continue to fight for more an and earlier access to prenatal care and proper nutrition, especially in rural and urban settings as well as childcare and intending to all the social challenges that i have seen so many times that a young single or married mom faces. This is what i call led the Maternal Death asked in 2010 and work with every on this committee to pass legislation the Maternal Health Quality Improvement act which is also recently signed into law. And this is why i lead annual appropriation letters supporting vital Maternal Health programs at hhs and the wic program. While such centers as a stance in which you will soon learn about already outnumber abortion clinics for the one in this country, we can and will do more to help such clinics. I look forward to bipartisan cooperation to being part of the solution to maternity issues which of all precipitated prior to the Supreme Court decision. Finally, we recognize Family Planning and access to contraception will be as important as ever. As i have in the past i will continue to support robust funding for Community Health centers and county Health Departments like the ones i once volunteered and oversaw. And you madam chair, and i yield back. Thank you. We will now introduce todays witnesses. Our first witness is dr. Kristyn brandi, dr. Brandi is an obstetrician gynecologist who provides abortion care in new jersey she also served as board chair for physicians for Reproductive Health and is an assistant professor at rutgers new Jersey Medical school. In her work as a physician and researcher dr. Brandi has focused on reproductive decisionmaking and racism in Reproductive Health care. Thank you for joining us today to show your important perspective. As an Abortion Provider and talk about how Dobbs Decisional undermine your care for your patience. Look forward to your testimony. Our next witness today is dr. Jamila taylor. Dr. Taylor is the director of Health Care Reform and fellow at the Century Foundation, and an expert in reproductive rights and Maternal Health here for over two decades dr. Taylor has worked to champion the health and rights of women of color and other marginalized communities and ensure access to reproductive and Maternal Health care including Building Support for Insurance Coverage of abortion. She also serves on the board of directors for the National Quality forum and march for moms on Reproductive Freedom Leadership Council advocates advisory board, state Innovation Exchange and is chairwoman of the board of total village and organization focus on promoting black Maternal Health. So glad you could join us today, dr. Taylor. Look forward to hearing from you. Our next witness is samie detzer, and abortion advocate, shes been an outspoken abortion advocate for years sharing both the story of her own experience getting an abortion when she lived in Washington State and her mothers story seeking an abortion back in the day before roe v. Wade. She knows personally how much is at stake at this moment for many people across the country. Thank you for your courage and sharing your story today in speaking up on behalf of many women who were outraged to have the rights taken away pick look forward to your testimony. Senator marshall if you want to introduce or find a way to. Thank you chair murray for the opportunity to introduce Brandi Swindell from meridian idaho. Ms. Swindell is a founder ceo of stanton healthcare and stanton Public Policy center. Stanton healthcare provides medical care, womens Wellness Care, tangible support and hope to pregnant women, mothers and families. Stan Public Policy center is a womans advocacy and education a group of works in issues of human rights and justice with a goal of empowering and inspiring women. Ms. Swindell is a nationally known speaker, and advocate for human rights and is been a passionate voice for women and the unborn. Ms. Swindell thank you for all that you do and for being with us here today. Chair murray. Thank you. And now we will begin with a witness testimony. Again thank you to all for joining us today. Dr. Brandi you may begin with your Opening Statement. Thank you. Good morning chairwoman murray, Ranking Member marshall and the members of this committee. My name is dr. Kristyn brandi. I am a boardcertified ob gyn, a planning specialist, and id hear on behalf of physicians for Reproductive Health as the board chair. Ive been providing comprehensive Reproductive Health care for over a decade. Including abortion care, prenatal care, gynecologic procedures about patient care. I am a proud abortion provided from the state of new jersey. I became an Abortion Provider for the same reasons i became an ob gyn to help historically oppressed folks access to care they deserve a need. Obstetrics gerstmann stigmatize a marginalized. Its no surprise to me the same places that a band abortion also have the highest rates of Maternal Mortality and are many systemic and social factors that play a role in this. I remember taking care patient with the desired pregnancy 17 weeks, her fetus had not defiled a brain to she decided she would enter suffering and data for potential child by having an abortion. Her decision had become so stigmatize our member staff not even wanting to enter her room. I knew then that my career would be dedicated to ensuring no patient fishing for making the best medical decision for them and their families. By being a full spectrum ob gyn i could provide the best care for my patients. Im here today to make clear that abortion is essential healthcare. Abortion can be necessary to save someones life and it is a critical part of being an ob gyn. National medical organizations have expressed outrage at the dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health decision. National academies of science and engineering and medicine put a comprehensive report looking at abortion outcomes and found abortion care has one of the highest safety records in medicine. We know in the United States you are 14 times more likely to die in childbirth than you are to die from an abortion. We know from the turn away study the people denied access to abortion have a higher chance of facing poverty and having worse Health Outcomes compared to patients that were able to access and abortion. I am a proabortion doctor, and i say proabortion abortion not to be antagonistic but to point out all the good that abortion can provide for people. Without autonomy, with a decisionmaking ability, without access to abortion care many people have challenging situations that become even more painful or lifethreatening. For those that do not want to be pregnant for any reason, the ability to have an abortion gives them the freedom to decide if and when to become pregnant. For some, abortion is liberation. Theres a lot of good that comes from peoples ability to access abortion and want to celebrate that. I firmly believe in the tenets of reproductive justice at all patients have the human right to be able to decide if and when to become pregnant and the parents of children in safe and sustainable commuters. I cannot separate my ability to provide care as as a physicim my lived experiences. Im a cisgender woman who could be harmed by restrictive abortion bans and im also a latina, a daughter of puerto rican and panamanian parents. Im also bisexual woman and deeply identify with lgbtq community, Community Also a deep need of time compassion Reproductive Health care. People of low income, cuervo, people with this of those, young people, people facing incarceration or detention from immigrants have faced many various access to care even before roe is overturned now face bigger hurdles. So i understand deeply how restrictions on abortion and outright bans impact marginalized communities because they are my community. I am greatly concerned abortion bans will tie Health Professional hands for patients. It is heartbreaking to consider that the skills i have come the medicines that a been proven time and again to be incredibly safe will be barred from patients that i took an oath to care for my patients. We are supposed bringbased care to our communities. It is unconscionable to enact laws that prevent Healthcare Providers from offering the standard of care. There are many urgent healthcare conditions that can arise some of the exacerbated by a pregnancy for which abortion is indicated. There are reports of having to wait for patient to become sicker and sicker before intervening. Future Healthcare Provider may not have access to training to even learn how to provide an abortion and will be illequipped to act in complex situations. This is not how healthcare should work. People are being harmed without Abortion Access. In conclusion, this moment is truly horrifying to. Im frightened for my patients that may be criminalized for making decisions and for Health Professionals that are providing high quality evidencebased care. But i wont give up. I will provide care like i provide last week again and again. Its important because i know my patients need it. Please remember there are countless people in each of your states that it needed and benefited from abortion. You all love someone whos had an abortion. They deserve your consideration and protection. Thank you. Iq, dr. Taylor. [inaudible] if you want to turn on on mount . Now . Yes. Good morning, chairwoman murray, Ranking Member and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on reproductive care in a postroe america. Im dr. Jamila taylor and i serve as the director of Health Care Reform and senior fellow at the Century Foundation. Of 100yearold progressive think tank that conducts research, develop solutions and drive policy change to make peoples lives better. I stated before you today deeply dismayed by the u. S. Supreme courts decision to overturn roe v. Wade. Not only am i disturbed by the impact this landmark decision will have on the health and wellbeing of millions of women and people who want and need abortion care, im also frightened by the impact the decision will surely have on this country is ongoing Maternal Health crisis. U. S. Maternal Health Outcomes are worsening at an alarming rate with black women bearing the brunt of this crisis. According to the most recent estimates released by the cdc, black women are dying of pregnancy related causes at three times the rates of their white counterparts. We are also most likely to experience severe maternal morbidity. For black women, pregnancy and childbirth, no matter how planned out or desired, put our lives at risk. It is always unconscionable to force the continuation of an unwanted pregnancy, but for black women and other populations have been historically marginalized it is particularly immoral and dangerous. Abortion care is overwhelmingly safe. When abortion is difficult or impossible to access, complicated Health Conditions can worsen, and even result in death. For example, one study conducted by researchers at the university of california San Francisco found that women who were denied abortion care are more likely to experience high Blood Pressure and other serious medical conditions during the pregnancy. More likely to remain in relationships where interpersonal violence is present, more likely to experience anxiety and stress shortly after being denied care, and more likely to experience poverty. Research also shows states with the most restrictions on abortion are precisely those with the worst Maternal Health outcomes. This is no coincidence. These states also have fewer supportive policies in place for parents and families, supportive policies like universal childcare, paid leave, affordable healthcare, equal access to nutritious foods, and Adequate Funding for the wraparound services, low income families and families of color desperately need. If we if you want to suppord families, and equitable access to compassion abortion care must be paired with the policies that make it possible to raise a family in the first place. In the face of the Supreme Courts decision to overturn roe and the impact it will have on Maternal Health crisis in this country, there are many policy solutions that can help address these challenges. Congress must pass the Womens Health protection act, critical legislation to restore the federal right to abortion, and it must be combined with the equal access to abortion coverage and Health Insurance act, also known as each, so that abortion care is affordable and accessible to all. Regardless of income or source of insurance. Last but certainly not least, Congress Must pass the black Maternal Health act. A comprehensive legislative package aimed at addressing various dimensions of u. S. Maternal healthcare crisis among black women and ensure that postpartum medicaid coverage extends to a full year for every birthing person in every state. The twin emergencies of the Maternal Health crisis and lack of federal protection for abortion, will harm black women the most. Both crises stem from historical and ongoing racism tied to the legacy of reproductive control and corrosion. Make no mistake, these disparities are rooted in racism, not race. This racism can be seen today in the persistence of discrimination, unequal distribution of resources, and an equitable access to care. With our bodies and healthcare decisions under unprecedented attack, it is critical we finally addressed the Maternal Healthcare crisis while also increasing access to abortion. So that every black women and every birthing person in this country can control their reproductive lives to thank you again for the opportunity to testify and i look forward to your questions. Thank you. Ms. Detzer. Chair murray, members of the committee, thank you for inviting me to speak with you today. My name is samie detzer and i have two stories to share. The first is fairly simple. On may 20, 2015, in seattle i had had an abortion. I was 25. I was pregnant and it did not want to be. It took me five minutes to schedule my abortion which was covered by Washington States apple Health Program have stayed compassionate, expert care from the providers at planned parenthood in my own city and in my own state. My abortion was not painful and it was certainly not traumatic. I was not lonely or depressed or ashamed. I can remember more about the relief than the tears come more about the feeling of freedom than of pain. I have not considered what my life would be like now if i had a child, and i have never once agonized over my decision. That story is mine alone. Know what it appeared to stop me from making the best decision for myself. No one tried to take control of what was mine. My body, my freedom, or my choice. The second story is my mothers. She was 19 and living in San Francisco with my father when she got pregnant. They were simply not ready to be the exceptional parent that they would later become. It was 1968 before the before the Supreme Courts decision in roe v. Wade guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion. And her doctor informed her that the only way to receive a legal abortion in the United States was to have a team of psychotherapists deem are her mentally unfit for parenthood. She agreed to this process, was three times called officially crazy come her words, and was granted the right to have a legal abortion. This process took just shy of 20 weeks. She received a legal abortion finally at five months pregnant. Unlike my experience, my mothers procedure was needlessly painful and was a sickly and emotionally traumatic for her. My mother was open with her three children about her experience but i dont know everything about it. I dont know how in the world living across the country from her family and hiding her pregnancy from there she was able to scrape together the money for three therapists and the abortion itself. I dont know what it was like for her to carry a pregnancy she did not want them to enter comments from strangers as she began to show. I dont know the extent of the judgment and shame my mother was subjected to. And, unfortunately, i cant ask her because she passed away four years ago. I miss my mother every day but im glad that she is not here to see this terrible moment in our countrys history. I do wish she had the chance to meet her granddaughter, my twoyearold niece, cd, who will devastatingly grew up with the rights than i had. I wish that it did need to share the personal details of my life, of my mothers life with a roomful of strangest i wish i could feel confident that my knees would go up with the right to make choices about her own body. And yet here i am. Im telling these stories because of the dual responsibility that appeal to honor both my mother and my little niece. The responsibility that i have to honor the past and fight for a better future. The members of this committee, the members of the senate have a choice. The choice lawmakers have is a difficult you will make it for us to exercise our freedom, how much pain and trauma you will cause, how many Bank Accounts will be drained and how many miles will be travel and how many tears will be shed. Lawmakers can decided people in this country will be able to get the health care they deserve. They can decide if states will be allowed to create insurmountable barriers to abortion or ban it completely. Lawmakers can decide whether our country will look like my mothers story or mine. What they cannot do is take away our freedom to our own bodies are no judge or justice can take away my rights to decide what is best for me, my body or my future. That freedom is ours, and we will not surrender it. I hope for the sake of my mothers memory and for my nieces future you will make the right choice, senators. People who want or have had abortions need to know that they are not alone. We need to know that you will continue to fight for us. I hope that you will choose to be brave, alongside those of us who are telling our stories and w will use every tool that you have to protect our right to abortion care and reproductive freedom. Thank you. Thank you very much. Ms. Swindall. Chair murray, Ranking Member and members of this committee, thank you for giving me the opportunity to share today. My name is Brandi Swindell and a fourth generation of idaho and human rights advocates and the ceo and founder of stanton healthcare and stanton Public Policy center. Stanton healthcare is a Womens Healthcare provider which specializes in serving women with unexpected pregnancies by providing professional medical care, practical and emotional support, womens Wellness Care and an outreach to refugee and marginalized communities. We are based in idaho with affiliates in the u. S. And internationally. Stanton is a part of the Womens Movement which has over 3000 Pregnancy Resource Centers and lifeaffirming medical clinics across the nation that outnumber abortion clinics for to one. Women who walk through our doors are treated with dignity and equality regardless of their race, political views, religion or Economic Situation. After the Supreme Court overturned roe v. Wade on june e prolife community are you ready to support women in the postroe america. And i can say with certainty, thousands of Pregnancy Centers and lifeaffirming women medical clinics have been waiting and preparing for this moment for decades. We are ready to meet the challenge and were going to make sure every woman facing an unexpected pregnancy in a postroe america will have access to lifeaffirming quality care, compassion resources and tangible support. Yesterday in my home state of ido stanton healthcare organize and lead a symposium called supporting women and abortion free ido. Political faith and political leaders all came together in a nonpartisan way to find creative and lifeaffirming solutions as we unite is what women with unexpected pregnancy. We are excited other states are following our lead. In a postroe america should our nations a goal and the goal of this committee be to put aside, be to put aside the patient, angering partisanship and commit ourselves to serving and helping women . As political leaders and members of this committee you can support women with unexpected pregnancies by passing legislation that would provide better prenatal and medical care for the marginalized and women from communities of color. Paid Maternity Leave and child care are steps the right direction. Since may 2 there is been over 60 attacks centers like stanton healthcare. These attacks are unconscionable, and ultimately threaten the women who attempt to walk through our doors seeking access to our services be because of this stand has had to hire private security, a private Security Firm which is cost our Organization Thousands of dollars. For those who disagree with the Supreme Courts decision on roe, directing revenge and retaliation on centers like stanton healthcare is misguided, hateful, antiwomen and must be condemned and stop immediately. Today i am calling on all members of this committee to personally and publicly condemn the fire borrowing, Violent Attacks and threats against lifeaffirming charitable womens clinics. Congress and the Biden Administration should be a part of the solution and not cast blame on centers like ours. It is also deeply troubling members of the press, politicians and Media Outlets referred to centers like stan as fake clinics. First we are attacked with physical violence, next we are attacked with violence of lies, disinformation, slander and falsehoods. To diminish stanton healthcare in this way diminish nurses, stenographers and others on a medical team who work so hard to receive, achieve and maintain her medical credentials. But most of all it insults the thousands of women and their children who have been held by our clinics. They did not receive fake medical care or fake baby formula during a nationwide shortage or fake baby supplies, take Financial Support or fake counseling is so much more when they walked through our doors. We should not be attacking clinics like stan are proposing at that women legislation but rather we should be standing with these women who seek our services. Its important for this committee to note, since 1980 the abortion rate has fallen by more than 50 . During the same time women have succeeded on a variety of educational and economic metrics. If women are gaining educationally and economically at a time when abortion rates are falling, its pretty clear women do not need to rely on abortion to succeed. The overturning of roe on june 24 set shockwaves through our nation that will take us months and perhaps even you to process. However, if we are truly committed to justice and womens rights, we can come together ass a nation and find Creative Solutions to empower and stand with women in a postroe america. Once again, thank you for the invitation to share about the critical work of stanton healthcare and the amazing women we serve. Thank you. Thank you. We will now begin a round a five minute question and ask my colleagues to please keep track of your clock and stay within the five minutes. Dr. Brandi im going to start with you. Across the country states that protect abortion rights are preparing for a surge in patients coming from states within the low rent the right to access the care that they need. Researchers estimate 36 million women of reproductive age one now live under abortion restrictions and bands. And i hosted a washington, clinics are expected to see five times as many outofstate patients, and this is really a fullblown Health Care Crisis that is going to cost women their lives and their health because they cant access the care they need from their own doctors in their own states. I want to thank you for providing such incredibly important care because of work you do is essential and it saves lives. Talk to us about how abortion bans in other states impact your work as as a provider in newy and the care that your patients receive. Thank you so much for the question. You are right, theres going to be millions of people that hopefully will be able to access care and, unfortunately, will be leaving their homes and the communities in order to do so. Im very fortunate to practice in new jersey where our governor and legislators have passed for active laws to help protect the care in our state. Unfortunately thats not the case elsewhere and many people across the country would be leaving their community to get that care. What that looks like is delays in care which leads to patients preventing off the lid and pregnancy. It means patients may not be able to get to us because all the logistics of travel like childcare, like making sure people of days of the work, they have cast so they can get to their appointments all lead to people not being able to access the care and we know that disproportionate impacts people of color and of the people who are marginalized. People that live in states that the care is protected often are anticipating an upload of people. People are going to be having to wait, that live in the securities for weeks and were already seeing that in certain communities that appointments are taking two or three weeks to be able to get that appointment. And, unfortunately, in pregnancy care weeks of matter and that may create further barriers to get moving able to access the care they need and deserve. Thank you. Thank you for sharing you and your mom story and im really grateful that youre willing to do that today. You spoke powerfully about your moms experience before roe and what happened to her and your experience in what happened in the world where we had roe. Talk to me a little bit about what abortion right means in your life. Thank you once again for the opportunity to share my story, senator. The first thing that comes to mind for me is that white papers and as with her life after they have an abortion need not be exceptional for that abortion to be necessary. What they do with their life after that should be the same as the choice to have an abortion entirely up to them. However, in my case im pretty proud of the things ive done in my life after having an abortion. Most importantly to me having an abortion without need to be a support system for my brother and my sister when they became parents, when they chose to become parents. And i would say probably most importantly to me, that having an abortion allowed me the time and resources to care for my mother as she got sick with cancer and eventually died. And so i am deeply grateful for the abortion that i i had that allowed me to live my life as i wanted it to. Thank you. And dr. Taylor, as you mention this crisis not being felt equally. Lack in native american women, for example, continued to experience disproportionally high rates of death related to pregnancy or childbirth. How will the overturning of roe exacerbate the Maternal Mortality crisis in our country . Thank you for that question, senator murray. It is going to greatly exacerbate our Maternal Mortality crisis in this country. Based on research thats contacted not too long ago we know the fall of roe will cause our overall Maternal Mortality rate to go, to increase by 20 . For black women it will increase by 40 . Its important to talk about the Maternal Mortality issue in this context because its bigger than even the conversation were having today. Black women, disproportionally are impacted not only by the Maternal Mortality crisis but also unable to access abortion even before roe. These challenges are going to be basically insurmountable in a lot of ways but as a mention in my testimony there are solutions that can be in limited to address the issue. Thank you very much. My time is up. Senator marshall. Thank you again, chair murray. You may hit the abortion lobby say that Maternal Mortality is up to 14 14 times more for ca pregnancy to term as opposed to an abortion. But in absolute terms the chances of dying from pregnancy is approximately 0. 024 , which let me be very clear, is unacceptable for its too high of a rate. Before dobbs or after dobbs, its too high. Let me also point out that more women ages 2044 die each year from trauma, cancer, heart disease, suicide, homicide, liver disease, diabetes and stroke and pregnancy related complication. And finally please realize hhs is not required actual reporting of abortion complications. While the abortion industry is quick to claim eradicating all protections from the unborn is the only way to lower Maternal Mortality rates, abortion is not the solution to this crisis. Rather, the nation should focus on the underlying causes that lead to Maternal Mortality. Here in our Nations Capital for example, as the u. S. Lost protecting life in the womb compared to the other 50 states but its mortality rate of 36 or 100,000 means women in d. C. Are 50 more likely to die from pregnancy related causes as women in the rest of the nation. For black mother the situation is even worse and according to Maternal Mortality report in 2019, black women accounted for 90 of all pregnancy related deaths in the district. The Maternal Mortality rate for black mothers in d. C. Is 71 per 100,000 dwarfing, tripling the National Average for it is a special problem here in d. C. Ward seven and eight. If i described this particular geographical area, they have no hospitals with birth war. Still have three Grocery Stores and drastically fewer pharmacies and the other wards. These are issues we can and must address. Each time we spend taxpayer dollars funding the abortion industry take away money and resources from providing Real Solutions for mothers and our nations most valuable resource, our children. Ms. Swindell, if you had a clinic in d. C. In this high mortality rate how could you impact the Maternal Mortality rate . We would definitely have an impact, thank you for that question. Stanton healthcare we are a nonprofit life affirming womens medical clinic. We dont charge for any of the services that we provide and live a very high focus on pre and postnatal education, a very high focus on quality prenatal care and also putting together an individualized care plan for every woman who walks through our doors. And so we make sure that she has a solid support system, that shows all of the resources that she needs, that has a plan in place, and our program runs the duration not, nine months of pregnancy and whatever that point is that she comes or center, and a minimum of nine months after that so it is an 18 Month Program and to give them to be on that. We have moms that come in that they are stanton stem bl them are ten years old now, five years old and they still come in and we are that support and resource for them. So we are seeing very good results to our individualized care program. Again its that focus on pre and postnatal education and could prenatal care. Thank you what the answer that i want to keep on this topic of this illconceived concept about abortion be safer than pregnancy. First of all say the obvious, the mortality rate for the unborn baby is almost 100 an abortion and very low in childbirth. We believe continuing pregnancy is very protective of the mother and child take taken when k about suicide rates of women that have had babies versus the abortion women who have had abortions. We think about even that instance of trauma and murder for women who have had abortions as opposed women who have borne to pregnancy naturally. Do you see many palms with postabortion syndrome Emotional Distress suicide because of the abortion . Yes, we do. In fact, stanton healthcare rines and after abortion care program, and that support program is always full. We have women that walk through our doors that are very traumatized after having abortion. Most women experience both shortterm and longterm physical and emotional challenges after an abortion. In fact, steady show one in four women that undergo an abortion express feelings of depression, anxiety, regrets, things up all along with that come Substance Abuse to try to numb the pain, hallucinations of their child, nightmares, women experience things like being very stressed out at certain time on the clock because thats when the baby come when the abortion happened and the baby was killed. And my own mother suffered from the pain of the past abortion. Actually became suicidal after she had an abortion. She was never suicidal before that. She also be she rest in peace past when 2060 but she always regret of abortion as he became a very big support of stanton healthcare so other women when have to go through the same experience she did. Thank you so much i yield back. Senator hassan. Thank you chair murray and Ranking Member marshall. I want to thank all of our witnesses for being here today today. We know that the end of broke is not the final goal of antichoice extremist. The ultimate objective is to ban abortion nationwide. We have to hold the line against any efforts to enact a nationwide abortion ban, and keep fighting to protect a womans fundamental freedom. In this is after all about whether women are allowed to make their own complex life and health decisions. Dr. Brandi, in wake of the Supreme Courts decision were hearing is to reconsider reports about when expensing difficulty getting critical Emergency Care related to pregnancy. As senator murray mentioned in her Opening Statement one in figure women experience and Ectopic Pregnancy, a lifethreatening condition. Can you walk through what an Ectopic Pregnancy is, how it develops and how it is treated, please . Absolutely, and thank you for the question. As you stated Ectopic Pregnancy affects about 2 of all pregnancies and it is a pregnancy that is in planet outside of the uterus, was often the fallopian tubes that can be over us, can be any abdomen. This condition continue on to a normal pregnancy and often it is lifethreatening for the person that has that condition. Ill tell a quick story that i had a patient recently and you yard with an Ectopic Pregnancy, and minutes are critical in the ability to take care of that person. I talked to them in the er. They were Walking Around a couple minutes and then 20 minutes later by the time were in the operative room they were critical. Their vitals were dropping. I had to eat eventually do r surgery to save the life and i was glad to provide the care and such a quick fashion but weve seen a Chilling Effect in other states. And reported in the new england journal of medicine have provided in texas after s. B. Eight were confused. They didnt know what was safe. They did know, they had to make decision about whether or not to follow their oath to protect themselves against potential litigation, criminal action. And so it was heartbreaking to consider as a physician i would have to hold back what it is evidencebased care to intervene right at that moment because im worried about calling miler in making sure i can do that before i intervene. Should be able to provide care quickly and safely based on medical guidance. One more question for you, the Supreme Court decision created countless legal question that brought uncertainty into hospitals and clinics as you pointed out. And interfered for a number of conditions ranging from rheumatoid arthritis, iud insertions and could you explain why this is harmful in a medical setting . Sure. We spend years and years as physicians to be able to diagnose and look at exact care. Its complicated and disease processes. As you mentioned a medicine used for abortion care and treatment of arthritis and lupus which impact women. Theres a confusion between providers and pharmacists what medications they can provide to patients. There is a lot of overlap, its the exact same medicine and procedure as abortion care, its unclear if providers can provide that care under the very confusing regulations. Thank you very much, and thank you, madam chair, i think the decisions are best left to women and their Health Care Providers, thank you. Thank you, senator cassidy. Thank you all. Its kind of im a physician and its kind of with grief that i come to this because theres so much misinformation put out, but let me first say we have a lot of Common Ground here, a lot of Common Ground. And first, let me just say whats actually been accomplished with things ive personally been involved with. Ive led and behind into law, the John Lewis National institute of health and Health Endowment and Maternal Health act, two things designed for disparity, working on the connected mom, and let a woman be at home and vital signs remotely instead of Public Transportation to the physician and worked on what to do about Addiction Services many people who die within a year after pregnancy, die from addiction. And at suicide bill, many women post pregnancy die of suicide. Theres more to do and Common Ground, the Common Ground gets lost inned midst of a cloud of misinformation. I want to speak as a physician, when patient came to us i had to disspell their fears that werent the case and instead there was kind of oh, my gosh. First, i think dr. Marshall did a wonderful job of pointing out that he is a prolife physician, takes care of patients with Ectopic Pregnancy end of sentence, period. And we hear that a woman would Ectopic Pregnancy wouldnt get care, can we dispel that . The states with highest, most restrictive abortion have the highest mortality and no one speaks of washington d. C. Which has the highest mortality and no limit on access to abortion, the baby can be coming through the birth canal in washington d. C. And can be aborted, five minutes, a child on someones arm. Instead five minutes earlier, its dismembered, its skull crushed and they have the highest Maternal Mortality in the nation. And my gosh, if theres anything to fear, miss schwindel, in my own state i visited the Crisis Centers and amazing the work they do and people come there voluntarily, they can leave there any time. They elect to stay and when i went there they had a closet full of clothing and formula, and this is, i thought you were prenatal. And they said no, we continue to care for the family and the child after the child is born. And we have all of these that are here for that family. Now, theres federal legislation being introduced that would shut down crisis Pregnancy Centers . That would say, miss schwindel, no what your good work, washington d. C. Is going to shut you down . I will also, and all of this implication that washington d. C. Is bearing down on peoples lives. Theres federal legislation to ban crisis pregnancy and democrats want to force prolife physicians and nurses to either do abortions or lose their license, or have face civil penalties. So, dr. Marshall, youre prolife. If you decided no, the heavy hand of washington d. C. Is going to come in and snatch your license away, or subject you to civil penalties, that is concerning. Can anyone, now, nick, can anyone name a state in which there is a law saying that its the life of the mother is at risk, the woman does not have right to an abortion . You cant, because there is no state. Every state allows an exception for the life of the mother and theres this kind of frankly misinformation that thats not the case. So i want to speak as a physician, theres a lot of Common Ground. Lets do something about maternity mortality, but lets dont hide our efforts. A cloud of misinformation, suggesting for a fact that aborting every baby is the way to protect mamas lives when we see in washington d. C. With the most liberal law in abortion in the nation, having the highest rate of Maternal Mortality. And nor suggest that a mama is going to have her life placed at risk because of these because of Ectopic Pregnancy and cant have her abortion address. And the richest, is how transgender is going to be affected. Theres not a law out there that relates to transgender. And usually i ask questions, but lets all think like doctors that want to lower Maternal Mortality and calm everybody down, with facts, not with misinformation. With that, i yield. Senator smith. Thank you, madam chair, Ranking Member marshall. Dr. Taylor, i want to turn to you quickly. Could you quickly respond to this myth of post abortion trauma and suicidal thoughts . Maybe also quickly address some of the systemic causes for the vast disparities in Maternal Mortality in this country . Sure, absolutely. You know, based on how i talk about Maternal Mortality, black women in the work that i do. The Maternal Health crisis, the roots of that is racism. How Structural Racism not only show up in the Health Care System, but also society. We know that racism, particularly the experience of it for black people causes us to, you know, be more susceptible to disease, Mental Health challenges, in addition to physical Health Challenges and so, we do see that show up sometimes in the context of, you know, the care that pregnant women may be undergoing. I think a part of it is, too, black women have reported experiencing not being listened to by their Health Care Providers, so when they express pain or discomfort, in some of their exchanges with physicians, thats sometimes ignored. We even saw Serena Williams share her own story of what happened to her and not being listened to shortly after having her daughter. And so to me, those are some of the root causes of the Maternal Mortality crisis. Look, i recognize that, you know, pregnancy in and of itself, no matter how you decide to move forward, that is a decision based on the woman and her family and consultation with her physician. And that can spark, you know, some challenges for her mentally because its a difficult decision, but i dont think that its true to say that, you know, for the most part women who stand firm in their decision to have abortion are regretting that or, you know, experiencing Mental Health challenges because of that. Fundamentally, a question of who has the decision and the aeblt to control your own decisions and your own life is really what this is about, it seems to me. Id like to turn to you, dr. Brandy and turn to the medication abortion. Medication abortion has been a safe and effective way of terminating pregnancy in the first trimester for the 20 years. It can be delivered through the mail, also, slightly over half of abortions in this country are done with medication now, now that the Supreme Court has overturned roe, this will be a crucial access point for many women. We cannot allow republican politicians to spread misinformation about this medication, which is happening or to elect unnecessary hurdles, unnecessary hurdles to top women from access. So, dr. Brandy, can you tell us is medication abortion safe and effective for the women to use in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy . Senator, thats an easy one, absolutely. Thank you, can you walk through a little of the process, determining whether medication abortion is effective for a person . Sure. When i see a patient that is seeking abortion, i always go through all the options and talk about risks and benefits, particularly around medication abortion, there are rare contraindications through medication abortion, but generally its incredibly safe. Its anywhere between 95 and 99 effective in ending a pregnancy up to 10 weeks and its something that requires very few interventions from the Health Care System. Many people can determine based on their last menstrual period when they became pregnant and based on that and symptoms can be provided medication over the phone via telehealth. Its not necessary for a person to be described this medication by a physician in an office. Not in an office setting, no. Thank you. I want to be clear about this, medication abortion cannot be be totally undone by the politicians take i away womens freedom and we know that there are state undermining peoples access to medication abortion, but its an important access point to protect access where we can and to actively fight misinformation i think is important for us to do here. Im sorry that im out of time here, but i want to just follow up briefly on the question, the line of questions that senator hassan asked, which was to really illustrate the chaos that is ensuing around this country as a result of this extremist Supreme Court decision to take away this fundamental freedom of people and what we see from republican lawmakers, determined to control the decisions that women want to make, based on where you live, the right and freedom of women to get an abortion, to manage their miscarriages, to treat an Ectopic Pregnancy is severely compromised. This chaos means your doctor may not believe they have the autonomy to decide, make and practice based on what their best medical information is, and what they believe is best for their patients. So, lets be clear. Lets be clear, republicans are responsible for this chaos they created this Health Care Crisis because they believe they know better than women whose lives and stories they will never know. They believe that they know better. They believe that she should control. Thats what were faced with and now working to fix, and we will not stop working until womens freedom can be exercised equally in all parts of this country. Thank you, madam chair. Senator braun. Thank you, madam chair. Listening to senator smiths point of view there, i think as we do give it, this is a topic that, i think, for 49 years has been in one place, its now come to another, and i think weve got to be careful that we dont get too caustic in either point of view. Right now the Supreme Court says its back with the states. Ive been a believer on this issue from the getgo, you do not demonize the folks you disagree with and you make sure that in this case, when we have returned this to the people, we make the right decisions at the state level. Im going to have the same question and i want to start with miss detser. You were voted on quoted on fox 13 news you have not looked back except of celebration and deep appreciation for your choice and again, respect that. Id like to ask you though, when it comes to, when your state grapples with it, at what age do you think gestationally its no longer appropriate to have an abortion, just a simple question and i think that any of us, if were out here talking about the issue, especially in states where it may go beyond where its commonly accepted, id like to know your opinion. All right. Senator, could you repeat your question, please . You and your some of the organizations you support, support abortion, i believe, up until the moment of birth and id like to give you the chance to clarify that you you think thats still where it should be, or if there is an age beyond which you would not be comfortable with an abortion. I am not a medical provider. I have no standing to make any statements about medical limits. What i am here to do is to share with you all my personal story of Abortion Access and to highlight how my mothers story of Abortion Access was so very different different and how much changed in just one generation between us. So putting a medical issue aside and assuming there was none. Is there an age beyond which you would be uncomfortable with an abortion . Im sorry, are you asking me to consider an abortion not a medical procedure . Because i believe that it is, it is health care. Taking the inherent risk of an abortion aside and if its minimal, do you think theres an age beyond which youd be uncomfortable with it . Im sorry, i could you please repeat that question, im not sure how to separate health care from an abortion. So youre making that point and ill let you rest on it. Ill go to miss brandy with the same question. Excuse me, senator, are you asking me a question. Same question i asked miss detzer. I paused because im confused. Im doctor brandy. And what youre bringing up abortion in pregnancy and people have different opinions what that looks like and how they feel comfortable regarding differently gestational age limits, but i think talking about these hypothetical scenarios doesnt respect the pregnant people that i take care of every day that have varying circumstances, and as a physician, i think the most prudent thing is to listen to their stories and assess their own medical risks depending where they are in pregnancy and help them decide whats best for them. I think then based on gestational age, whatever that gestational age is create barriers to care and doesnt improve the safety of care, which is what i care most about parents. Being a doctor, i think you may have a better way to answer the question in the sense that i know theres medical risk in doing anything. At the point you cant eliminate risk, but to where, say, there would be as little as you could determine at the time, do you still think its appropriate for someone to choose an abortion up to the point of birth . Senator, again, that hypothetical, that i think is brought up quite a bit, actually is not what abortion care looks like on a daytoday basis. Abortion care after 20 weeks is about 1 of pregnancy and i think by focusing on that, you delegitimize and disrespect patients seeking this care for important reasons. Miss schwindel would you like to weigh in. I believe in what the medical textbooks say, im not a medical professional, but life begins at the beginning and theres an amazing spark that occurs when the sperm and the egg meet and a new emboro is formed and i believe in respecting all stages of life and development. I think thats an important part of human rights and also Womens Health care and so, i believe in what the medical textbooks say. I believe in biology, i believe in science and frankly, its not rocket science. Life begins at the beginning. And abortions at any stage take the life of an innocent human being. And that is a grave human rights violation. I was born after 1973. I was born in 1976 aging myself here and i was open prey in my mothers womb. Nigh government decided i had no Constitutional Rights or human rights or civil rights and its a new day and a new era, and preborn children, their humanity is being respected and its a great thing. Thank you, and i respect all of your opinions and asked the question because of how difficult it is to answer. And why this should be left with the states, with the people within the states to make that decision. When you look at senator braun ill finish in a moment with that diversity of opinion. Thank you for your answers. Senator hickenlooper. Thank you, madam chair. Thank all of you for your service and your willingness to come here today. I grew up, i was born in 1952, so the issues around abortion were of intense discussion, obviously in those days my mother was a single mother, raised four kids by herself and we discussed frequently the issues surrounding abortion. This was Kitchen Table discussions, it was my mothers no matter how lean our Household Budget may have been, she tried to give every year some donation to planned parenthood. Some years it was 10. But she felt that the a woman who was forced to carry a child to birth, that they were not ready for, that they didnt intend, was being forced to give up part of their life, and to have challenges and obstacles that would make their achievements in life far, far more difficult and often times would lead to devastating results. Colorados a state where we are we proudly support a womans right to and access, the right of access to health care, but were surrounded by states on three sides that have either or going to or expected to enact abortion bans and we will certainly see a large influx of patients. I think this can stretch the providers in colorado and other states that are already quite thin, its going to impact access, not just to abortion, but to other reproductive sources. Dr. Brandi, ill start with you. How are the abortion bans with Reproductive Services like contraceptive care, cancer screening, et cetera. Thank you, senator for the question. Youre right that while abortion bans on face value just impact abortion, they impact so much of Reproductive Health care and care thats untirely related to Productive Health care. Things like we mentioned earlier, different immuno logic diseases can be impacted because treatments are very similar,or, for example, cancer cases where people may get delays in their care and contraindications to Birth Control that may not be accessible to them. There are so many ways that this is impacted, ways that, you know, medical decisions and other Health Professionals knew about and were seeing through texas. But, every day im hearing a new report about a different medication, a different patient scenario because every patient is unique, every patient is an individual and we in medicine have to be creative sometimes when we take care of patients, find different ways to treat different diseases and when our hands are tied. When there are bans that create a law without thinking about the people that it impacts, its challenging physicians to be able to meet that individuality of parrots and give patients and give them the care that they need. I want to ask you, in your opinion, what does this notion of government mandate pregnancy or enforced pregnancy, what kind of outcomes is that going to lead to in what kind of Health Outcomes to women . Absolutely, thank you for the question, senator. First of all, anytime were forcing a person to continue with pa pregnancy that they would like to terminate, it could impose various issues for that individual, whether its stress, anxiety, Mental Health challenges, i think in addition to that, if we put this in the context of the Maternal Health crisis in this country, it could mean that this individual may not keep up with their prenatal care appointments. They may also struggle financially if they have to ten with a forced pregnancy. We also know that even if you look at Something Like higher education, you know, we know that for a woman who can access abortion, a collegeaged woman shes more likely to finish school so it has an impact on the broader consequences of that person. I think another point ill add, too, about 60 of people who have abortions are already parents and so not having the opportunity to terminate a pregnancy for a woman and her family could mean that shes unable to care for and support the children that she already has and could impose economic challenges for the broader family and could even lead to Health Channels for the children she already has. So its a broader issue that can impact various aspects of a womans life. Thank you very much. And just one last brief question, if i can. I saw a number, heard had a number last week that almost half of all pregnancies in america are accidental, or unintended. Is that true . Do any of you have that accurate number on that . I can speak to that. Yes, about 45 of pregnancies are unintended and about 40 or about half of them end in abortion and even though we talked earlier about percentages being very small, if you think about percentages on the broader sent like 14 of people, thats actually equatable to thousands of people that can become pregnant in our country. So thats a huge impact of people across our country. Thank you all. Thank you. Senator murkowski. Madam chairman, thank you for the hearing today. And to our witnesses, thank you. Ive had an opportunity to read your stories in your testimony that youve provided to the committee and youve heard many stories from alaskans, most notably in the past couple of weeks, from women who are very distraught about the Supreme Court ruling in the dobbs case. But the stories that you have shared from a personal decision to terminate a pregnancy, the chamgs that parents or family members face in accessing care to the stories that women who visited clinics such as stand stanton and continue a pregnancy and all demonstrate how these are very, very deeply personal. Deeply complicated and of course, incredibly challenging decisions that far too many women face each other and clearly, that americans hold deep and conflicting convictions over. When it comes to decisions that are so personal that are so complex and have such an impact on a persons lives, i think that that choice must ultimately be of the hands of the individual and not the government and thats where i came down on vaccine mandates, thats where i come down on abortion. But i think that like so many other areas, there are nuances, there are gray areas. Many americans, myself included, believe that it is reasonable to not require those who are firmly opposed to abortion to support it with their tax dollars and that providers who do not wish to be involved in abortion should not be forced to be. What i would hope that we can agree on is that its in the best interest of everyone to create a system where fewer women face this choice in the first place because everybody has adequate access to and knowledge about contraceptives and because women and families have the support that they need. But ultimately, i believe in limited government, individual liberty, i support a womans right to make her own health care decisions, and that means Reproductive Health care. Im working with the Small Bipartisan Group to ensure that the rights that women have relied on for the last 50 years, as an established in roe in casey and griswold, that these are protected and i hope, i hope that at a minimum, our legislation will demonstrate that there is a majority in the United States senate that supports these basic rights. And i know that folks are all how are we going to get this legislation passed . And so, kind of the knee jerk response here is to take on the filibuster and i want to just raise this because i think that its tempting to call for the removal of the filibuster so that we can do something, but i would ask my colleagues to take the longer view and think about what elimination of the filibuster would mean for both sides and for our country in the future. In the recent years the filibusters been used multiple times to block attempts to restrict access to Reproductive Health care in 2015, 2018 and again in 2020, pro choice senators used the filibuster to block a 20week abortion ban. It was used to stop a blanket ban on funding for planned parenthood in 2015. There were numerous other times to prevent erosion of reproductive rights. I think weve got to look at this. Again, ill scan down the road, the balance of power in Congress Moves back and forth, without the filibuster, do we really think, do we really believe that a different majority would not seek a nationwide ban on abortion and find a way to succeed in enacting it . The filibuster is really one of the few mechanisms that protects the rights of the minorities. I raise this because i think we need to be looking longterm at this. This hearing is about reproductive care in post roe world and i want to ask you, dr. Taylor, what does this mean . What are the downstream impacts we should look at access to care outside of abortion even in a state where dobs decision will not affect. In alaska our state constitution products the access to abortion. The end of may, the planned parenthood closed its doors. They do not provide abortions, Dobbs Decision is not going to affect our state. But the closure was result of review by planned parenthood that led to the closure of five clinics nace wide and looking to reduce their budget to prepare for changes in states with trigger laws. We dont have one of those. Now the closest parent planned parenthood is three hours away and sources 10, reproductive care is homer, two hours away. So were seeing changes like this in a state like alaska supposedly not going to be impacted because of our constitutional provision, but trigger mraus in kentucky and idaho, driving a reduction to access to Birth Control and re productive care as far away as a state like alaska. I havent allowed much time for the response here, but it is a concern to low that the reduction to access to care is going to result in more and not fewer unplanned pregnancies. So. Senator murkowski. I asked the question of dr. Taylor. Dr. Taylor, she left momentarily and we can ask mer for a response in writing or maybe dr. Brandi. I didnt realize she vacated the care. Youre absolutely right there are downstream effects and we dont know what they will be with morbidity and mortality and we wont know that for years to come. But i think its important to name that we have a Health Crisis on top of already a Health Crisis through covid, that many labor and delivery across the country have closed because they were unable to keep their doors open. Thinking about an influx of people seeking Maternity Care, do we have the support system. Abortion and Maternity Care are not mutually exclusive and often times the same patients and things like Maternity Care, labor and delivery, and access to clinics in the community that are needed are both issues that need addressing. And weve gone way over time on senator murkowski. Thank you, madam chair. Senator rosen. Thank you, chair murray, you know, this hearing really comes at a critical time. I appreciate the thoughtfulness of the senator from alaska, how shes working on a buy way to help us move forward on this, so, thank you. But nonetheless, the Supreme Courts decision to overturn roe v. Wade, it does take away a womans right over her own body and its going to hand it to antichoice politicians. In states like nevada access to reproductive care, remains health care remains protected, but the threat after nationwide ban is real and it will have it will have dire consequences. En its why im going to continue to call on President Biden to take all actions he can to protect reproductive rights, to protect womens lives and assure that a total ban on abortion never becomes federal law. And politicians rolling out rigid bans, forcing women to carry pregnancy against their will. Weve seen some laws so extreme they dont have provisions for rape and incest. Were towards the end after long hearing and i have a few questions, dr. Brandi maybe well have a discussion about how the lack, total lack of exceptions is very rigid state laws, how its harmful to women, how it creates a unique burden on someone like you, an obgyn. The patients and the doctor, waiting until somebody is moments, perhaps, from death in order to take care of them. Can you just speak a little about that . I have a few other questions on this i thought maybe wed have a discussion. Thank you, senator, id love to have a discussion on this. I think it was mentioned before that there are exceptions for the life of a mother and so, of course, you know, that is okay, thats great for our patients, make sure that theyre safe, but the problem with the very few restrictions, or im sorry, the very few allowances for being able to provide abortion care, it doesnt take into account the individual circumstances of that person and what were seeing in the countries where abortion is ban except for life of the mother clauses people dont know what that means on the ground. Doctors dont know what that means. Ideally if im a physician and i have a patient that has an illness or condition, i want to treat her right then and there, i dont want to wait a couple of hours or days for conditions can to get worse. And some doctors are asking how bad it has to be. Where is the thin line for both, for both the mother and the fetus. You talk about this, what about in cases of severe anomaly, where someones forced to carry a pregnancy, can you talk about that and what, how youre going to deal with that, fetuses with severe fetal anomaly, the pregnancy isnt viable and its really a threat to the physical and Mental Health of the woman. Sure. And i think you cover a good point around viability, an important conversation go having gestational age bans, for example, every pregnancy is different, some pregnancies maybe viable at certain gestational ages and some pregnancies where the fetus has some type of anomaly may never be viable and when i have a fetus with an anomaly, its a nuanced conversation, what are their goals for this pregnancy and what are the goals for their potential child. Do they want to continue a pregnancy and deliver and go through a labor process and watch that fetus when its delivered, watch that baby die shortly after or do they want to have an abortion and end the pregnancy earlier . I think that individual should be that individual persons decision. I dont think im payable to make that decision for them and im hopeful that people outside of their families, people like politicians will be able to. And again its right to privacy and sadly in some states, women can face jail time. Steep financial penalties and possibly the physicians, the nurses, friends or neighbors or family members who may High Pressure you. So, what impact do you think this these threats of jail time on everyone are going to impose on people . Thank you for that question. I think i assume that most doctors didnt go to medical school to, you know, wait to take care of patients, to delay care. All of us want to provide the standard of care, we want to provide evidencebased medicine and help our patients with whatever they need and now physicians are put in an impossible situation where they have to decide whether or not they want to follow their oath, to do no harm, to protect our patients or protect ourselves and protect our families, and protect our licenses. Thats an impossible decision. The doctors care so deeply for our patients. I know i care so deeply for my patients and its incredibly hard to think about being in that position where he cant intervene because i have to call my lawyer first to make sure its okay and im going to wait and wait and wait until someone is sicker and sicker, because onwhat that law means and ive been hearing from all over from physicians that are withholding life saving care because they dont want to go to jail and thats not how health care should work. An incredible burden, youre right. For the physicians and Health Care Providers that care so deeply and of course, for a woman and her familys right to privacy in these choices. Thank you, madam chair. Thank you, senator murphy. Thank you, very much, madam chair and thank you for your testimony today and thank you for this hearing. In states across this country that have imposed trigger laws in many so of the most intense restrictions on apportion, there are also tend to be the fewest Services Available for women and families, run through the list of states that are in the midst of criminalizing abortion and youll run into states that have refused to expand medicaid under the Affordable Care act, leaving women and families without access to the basic health care that is necessary to raise a child today. Survey the states that have had on the books these trigger laws and youll find states that have not passed any meaningful family leave or medical leave legislation, leaving parents with no option, but to have a baby and to immediately go back to work. To be able to afford that health care that isnt being paid for because of the lack of medicaid expansion. Dr. Taylor, could you just talk for a second about the consequence of a policy of forced pregnancy in states that provide no meaningful access to health care and parental leave,ed kind of policies that you would think states that are so interested in more pregnancies would have invested in. Whats the consequence of that . Sure, absolutely. I think the consequences that we leave mom and families out to dry. You know, as youve mentioned, its so essential for a family to have access to affordable child care, an i fordable health care, and you know, access to, you know, nutritious foods and i mean, we can run down the list and you know, unfortunately in these states that are also banning abortion, they dont have the support available to these families and another point to lift up here, too, these are all situations that are going to disproportionally impact women of color, if are already experiencing challenges, whether its in terms of their financial outlook, housing insecurity, poverty, and i think the conversation participated around providing services, formula, if you can get your hand on it in this momentum rarely is not going to do anything to support the families over the longterm. Dr. Brandi, i wanted to talk to you about another issue, the issue that the senate may take up later this week. Will is listen, this is all about putting the government in a position of control over women and their bodies, but apparently, its not enough to tell women when they can bear a child, its not enough to dictate to women when and how they can Access Health care. Now were also going to dictate to women where they can travel to get health care because all throughout the country there are state legislatures getting ready to take up pieces of legislation that would eliminate the ability of individuals in this case, women, to be able to travel where they want for health care in this country. Just another mechanism of controlling the decisions that women make. Government being in charge. One piece of legislation in missouri contemplates legal liability for anyone involved in interstate health care travel, including the person who works at the call center to help set up your appointment, would now be legally liable, would potentially be dragged into court, have to hire up lawyers in order to protect themselves. So, im interested in your perspective as a provider, right . This world that were entering into in which all of a sudden, not only are you not going to be able to travel across state lines to obtain health care, but that everybody in the business of health care is now going to have to shut their doors to people who simply want to travel 10 miles from one state to another in order to get health care. What does that world look like . Thank you for the question, senator. I think its a really scary world what that will potentially look like and were seeing now that people are travelling to get care. I dont want to be checking peoples licenses and determine their address where they come from before i can intervene. Doctors and Health Care Providers want to do our job and take care of people, whoever shows up at our door, but at the same time we want to make sure our clinics and staff are protected against these arbitrary laws that are trying to kill our ability to provide health care to people and i am a heartbroken that people have to leave their communities to get the care that they need. Not just for those people that are travelling thousands of miles, if they can even travel at all. But also for my friend, my colleagues, that are out of jobs right now, they have the skills, they have the medicines to be able to take care of people in their communities and theyre not allowed to and thats heartbreaking not how health care should work. Thank you, senator bosman. Thank you, madam chair. I would like to use some of my time this morning to highlight the words of dr. Kristin lyerly, who is a Board Certified obgyn and abortion care provider in green bay, wisconsin. She says imagine sitting in an exam room with your doctor execs explaining a personal problem affecting every aspect of your life and your doctor looks you in the eye and says, i know how to help you, but i cant because the politicians in our state wont let me. Physicians in wisconsin have been forced to stop practicing medicine because of our states restrictive abortion ban that was signed into law in 1849. You didnt hear me wrong, 1849. That was 70 years before women even had the right to vote. Instead of providing care to patients, they have to turn patients away or consult with their lawyers, delaying Critical Care and wasting precious time. So dr. Brandi, what is the impact of delaying care in these Critical Situations . Thank you for the question. Delaying peoples ability to access that care or delaying interventions and life saving situations, can be the line between life and death for some people. As stated earlier, its very unclear what these laws mean for providers on a daytoday basis. For example, and i pause at getting too technical. Lets use the example someone breaks their water at 18 weeks, 19 weeks, its unlikely that that pregnancy will continue to term or have a good outcome. Protections on the life of the mother, when are we allowed to intervene . Is it at that moment when typically i would have a conversation with that patient what they want to do . Is it when the that, you know, broken water creates an infection, when that patient becomes septic when the patient is in the icu in shock . Its not written down and we want to follow the standard of care and that would be to intervene in that moment and it doesnt specify, and some say when can i. And while waiting this patient is sicker and sicker when they dont have to, thats not evidencebased care and thats a scenario many doctors are in right now. Thank you. Dr. Taylor, can you describe how barring physicians from providing abortion care impacts access to other sexual and Reproductive Health Care Services . So, for example, how does this affect families and effect those who are pregnant or looking to become pregnant . Sure, absolutely. You know, what comes to mind with this question is you do have some providers in situations where theyre providing Maternity Care as well as abortion care and so, if they have to shutter, that means that the women in that community will not have access to the prenatal care that they need. You know, we have seen this at the Century Foundation and in particular, we work with communitybased organizations that are actually run and led by, you know, women of color serving the community on the front lines, and some of those organizations are providing, you know, services on both for abortion and Maternity Care, and so, any, you know, facility that has to shudder its doors, thats going to impact the comprehensive set of services that are available to folks this those communities. Thank you. Dr. Brandi, this is for you, also, again. Wisconsins law provides that when an abortion is necessary to save a patients life, this decision must be signed off on by two additional physicians. Ill add that in wisconsin, not even a cancer diagnosis or treatment for cancer falls under the exception for saving the life of the mother. That means in wisconsin, three decisions have to come together, possibly in an emergency situation to decide if a womans life is worth saving. Because its now required by the legislature in the state of wisconsin. On metropolitan, the Biden Administration released updated guidance on the emergency medical treatment and active labor act or mtala, reminding doctors they must terminate a pregnant if necessary to stabilize a patient in an emergency situation. I want to thank the administration for this guidance, but its not a complete solution for the political interference that doctors are experiencing and we need legislation for that. Dr. Brandi, can you explain why burdensome requirements to administer Emergency Care are so harmful . Thank you for the question. And just to briefly explain, it protects patients from being turned away from Emergency Care settings, historically protecting people unable to pay. The requirement requires Emergency Physicians to assess the patient and potentially stabilize that patient if its in an emergency situation or transfer, if that patient is unable to get the proper care in the setting. The problem with the use right now in the abortion bans that exist, one, religious hospitals that may not provide abortion care can refuse and do not fall under the restrictions, and many people seek care in these facilities and even if they have a life threatening situation, like breaking water early, hemorrhage, they dont necessarily have to follow under those rules and the other thing with that, we are under the scenario, doctors have to figure out among themselves and whatever hospital theyre in, what is the stabilizing condition. How sick does someone have to be that they fall under this or not . And theyre going to be different scenarios just like youre explaining that many doctors are going to have to come together and decide and figure that out, but, its unclear if well be protected. And how will we know if were making the wrong choice. Thank you, chair. And thank you to each of the witnesses sharing your own personal experiences and stories is very important. And i want to share a story. I wont do as good a job as you all, its a virginian story, but its not mine. I want to share it. And its a news article id like, madam, chair to be introduced from last week. Jamie abrams, what moving from kentucky to virginia after i was diagnosed with cancer reveals about roe. After teaching roe versus wade as a family law professor i experienced the stunningly painful irony of reading the leaked Supreme Court decision on dobbs on the day i was diagnosed with invasive Breast Cancer. And i became a person if i became pregnant, and breast Cancer Patients advised to discontinue hormonal contraception because it could stimulate the growth of cancer cells. In the aftermath of roe, supporters of the move want to pretend that Abortion Access can be extracted from Womens Health care Decision Making. Nothing else can be further from the treat. Since the dobbs leak, what the conservative leaning courts to do, ive switched from being a reproductive rights scholar and a Breast Cancer patient. Switched employment from kentucky to virginia at a time when a womans Constitutional Rights to bodity autonomy was stripped away and this move across into different Womens Health care has revealed a searing reality. We live in a world of vastly Divergent Health care systems for women. When i was diagnosed with cancer the last thing on my mind were pregnancy and abortion and nearly all of my tests were predicated on reproduction and ability to terminate a pregnant if need and cancer care means i sure my history on pregnancy, number of live births, medications ive taken and surgical procedures and who my providers are, im answered honestly, not worried whether theyre under registration by law enforcement. As a Breast Cancer in Northern Virginia ive thankfully found unbounded compassion, empathy, dignity, privacy in human connection, but according to kentuckys trigger law banning abortion, i would lose all Decision Making autonomy and be subject to a doctorsdy chretien whether an abortion was necessary to prevent the substantial risk of death. Is stage one Breast Cancer enough . Stage two . What relevance are my two children for whom i desperately seek the best prognosis and longevity for myself . Does the law require me to endure the state compelled progression of cancer . The answers to these questions would be entirely unclear. In reality, doctors would treat me under an amorphous cloud of stateimposed label because the kentucky law makes it a class d felony to provide abortion outside of these exceptions. Id like to ask you, dr. Brandi, i was very, very struck by this. And it strikes me that this is probably not an unusual concern or case. Thank you, senator, for the question and youre absolutely right that i think that many people before all of this happened didnt really understand the full impact of how this is going to radically change health care and put our Health Care System potentially into chaos. I know as a doctor, i live in the gray, meaning that patients dont read the textbooks, they dont come in with clearcut answers as far as what to do. All of our care is tailored to that individual person. And conditions like cancer have a unique treatment, based on the individual person, and then the conversation about pregnancy options and whether or not to delay pregnancy or whether or not a patient should terminate a pregnancy if theyre diagnosed with cancer or wait several months to get treatment. The notion that we would say to someone with a cancer diagnosis, hey, you know, just move to another state i mean, just move to another state. This author could do that, a lot of people cant. People of low income cant. People of color would have a harder time doing that and the notion in the court in dobbs, rely on your state legislature. State legislature where women and people of color are underrepresented and in congress right now 26 of congress is women. That ranks as 76th in the world. Were throw the global average of women in congress. So the notion to tell somebody who is politically less powerful, oh, just rely on your legislature, well, thats not going to give you comfort. Thats why the 14th amendment was passed to protect people who the majority would not protect. Equal protection, even if the majority wont give it to you in the legislature, youre entitled to it. Protection of your liberty, even if the legislature wont give it to you as an american, you are entitled to it. I cant imagine a scenario where were just going to be casually telling people with those conditions to lump it and move to another state. Senator casey. Chairman, thank you very much for the hearing. I know were out of time, close to out of time. The vote has expired so ill be very brief. Dr. Taylor, i wanted to start with you and in particular, i wanted to cite correctly from your testimony. In the third paragraph of your written testimony, you say, and im quoting, black women are dying of pregnancyrelated causes at three times the rate of their white counterparts. We are also most likely to experience severe maternal morbidity, unquote. Thats what you stayed in those two sentences. How are these americans impacted by the Dobbs Decision . Thank you for the question, senator casey. They may be living in states where abortion is banned and they are unable to do that. So if you think about that in the context of the fact they are more likely to die from pregnancy related causes, this decision is going to be incredibly dangerous for them. And not only for them but also for the families. Another thing i mentioned earlier today in hearing is a fact that 60 of people who have abortions are already parents. Many of these women are already parents and so is also has implications for their families. We also know when the woman and oppose part of. When she sailed access to health care she needs, prenatal care she needs, shes also more likely to have healthy children, healthy infants. This is something thats going to impact a black family over all any of the family who may be in a situation where they would have chosen to terminate a pregnancy that they are forced to continue on with that pregnancy. Thank you, doctor. I will maybe submit a question for the record for dr. Brandi regarding miscarriage management and how this decision will affect your ability to treat the people that you treat, in particular the relationship with your patience, including for pregnancy related care. You can amplify for the record in writing if you want. I will briefly say again the management for miscarriage is exact medicines, same procedure for abortion. And so if there are restrictions about what type of procedure to offer or what type of medication is allowed, it doesnt impact. It impacts all types of pregnancy care. I want to build off of the standard of care, the evidencebased treatment my patients deserve. And you dont think that legislation should be able to interfere with that because thats what our patients the. Thank you, doctor. Senator marshall, any closing, to question . Yes, i would like to ask a couple questions of a good, thank you so much madam chair. This window come for years planned parenthood says claim they are not focus on abortion but provide a slate of services for women. Why then is planned parenthood closed a a clinic in your hosd if i dont and has plans to destroy the state set up pass laws are planned to pass laws that prevent abortion . Great question. Theres been only 60 planned parenthood and abortion clinics nationwide that a close since overturning of roe v. Wade which is interesting when youre the argument that they are all about helping women and providing all these other services and abortion is just less than 3 of what they do. Well then why the closing other clinic staff . Would you want to stay open to up women whatever theyre going through with an unexpected pregnancy and help navigate the current climate, or perhaps provide all those other services that you claim to provide. The reality is they are in the abortion business. Thats what they want women to choose. And so i think that is being exposed right now. My home state of idaho yes planned parenthood in boise right next to one of our stanton healthcare clinics close it down. I do want to say in idaho we have a Pregnancy Resource Centers throughout idaho, now there are two planned parenthood anything maybe one other abortion clinic. So if anybody would like some helpful advice on how to have enough accessibility for womens unexpected pregnancies you can look to the Pregnancy Care Center movement and centers like stanton. Again, nationwide we outnumber abortion clinics four to one. So, so if you want accessibility, look to us can look to what were providing. And also it makes the charges against our senators and wanted to shut us down, i think senator warren said lets go after clinics like stanton healthcare with 100,000 fines to shut down what we are doing. So how can you want more care for women in one breath, abortion care, and explain all these scenarios were women are undisturbed and marginalized and then collected exact clinics that are providing those services very well in our nation . Thats great. My job is to be a voice for kansans and one of your jobs today is to be a voice for your patience. What would you like to share if your patients were here today, what would you share with us that you would think could be important for senators to know . I would like to share with you if i may one of our clients stories. She give given to the advey best to share it. You have it in your written testimonies that i submitted. I highlighted a few parts to save time but if i made this comes from a stanton client. I was in a very bad place a life when i decide to get an abortion. My mom told me she wouldnt have anything to do with my baby. My boyfriend was a drug addict and causing abuse of my life and left me and i was diagnosed with having severe panic attacks. I dont do planned parenthood and saw stanton healthcare across a across the parking lot. I went to stanton healthcare and found they are real clinic that help me with everything i needed. They love me and showed that wasnt alone, gave me things i needed for my baby, counseling to get out of my lifethreatening abusive relationship and encouraged me that i could have light with this baby. Seeing my daughters heartbeat maybe stop feeling the panic attacks the maybe want to abort and stop feeling horrible nausea and see my baby as as a realn that i couldnt kill. I instantly, it instantly made me feel attached to my baby and love her. I felt led to solve my own business and for the first time in my life i can provide for much of on my own and of more than enough. They impacted my whole future and my childrens future. Im so glad she is in this world now and my life, and in my life forever because i was able to choose to keep her with stents. I thank god stanton healthcare get out of here and choose life. My mother is in her life and happy i had her. It impacted her as well. My daughter has a sister and i found a man that loves us all. All my fears were lies come and had i aborted my little girl i know it would have caused me to carry shame and depression. Thank you stanton for me and my baby. She has a future life because of you. This story to me is important, number one it shows the hope of woman found quality care and services but it also shows that abortion isnt the solution. She got out of an abusive relationship. She got out of an Economic Situation where she was lower income. She was able to start your own company. The depression and anxiety went away. This became a catalyst for hope in her life because she had the care and the support that she needed. 50 years of access to abortion has not solved broken systems. And throwing abortion at women does not fix their problem. What she found a stanton healthcare is what changed things in her life. Thank you. Madam chair, may i have closing remark . Very shortly. We have a boat and i have closing statement. All right. Well, thank you, madam chair for holding this committee. Thank you so much ms. Swindell for giving us a message of hope, a message that this world greatly needs today. Like everybody in this room are glad that our moms chose life. I want to publicly number one is condemn all violence, vandalism, threats and attacks if theres been a lease the attacks of violence and vandalism against Pregnancy Centers and churches like in kansas and overton park at the church of ascension. That is certainly not the answer. Next i want to point out my concern the last week the white house is hosting kansas legislatures an attempt to interfere with the kansas values in both amendment, the Biden White House has created enough hardships for kansans like the price of gasoline and grocery spirit we do want than forcing their radical values on the people of kansas. And i will close with this. I have spent my entire professional career fighting to protect the life of moms in babies in the delivery room, in the emergency room and in the halls of congress. And protecting their lives will continue to be a priority for me. To ensure that women have access to Family Planning services, contraception and Birth Control, to make sure every woman has care during, before and after the pregnancy but we will need collaboration and im committed to continue to work across the aisle to provide these services and to improve our Maternal Mortality rates. Indeed, abortion is not the solution. Thank you and i yield back. Thank you. As we conclude the strength i would like to once again thank all of our witnesses for being here. But i want to make clear, we have seen attempts from republicans to distract people from the truth, to say that they dont want to control womens bodies even as abortions are being canceled and women are forced to stay pregnant and give birth against their will. To continue saying it wont be that bad, even as people are now losing access to lifesaving medications. And, of course, republicans are still trying to push this ridiculous patently false notion that the art oppressing women so much as leading it to states are not officials and politicians to oppress them. Thats dishonest. They know full well, many women are not able to travel. They dont have time off. I dont have childcare and they dont have the funds. They know these cruel bands are already creating overwhelming demand from states like mine that have protected right to abortion. Washington state Health Care Clinics are already preparing to treat patients who are fleeing from states like idaho to get the health care that they need. And whats more, republicans are already talking about stopping those patients from traveling to get an abortion and stopping people from helping others to travel to get an abortion. And we all heard forma Vice President pence call for a federal ban, a call that other republicans are continuing to echo. Thats not empowering local decisions when you are overwhelming and overruling states like mine. If you want to be honest about this, about making local, it should be local. Leave it to the patient and their Healthcare Provider. The willful ignorance of how deadly these policies are even when these courageous Witnesses Today are doing everything they can to tell their story and make us listen is not expected but it is very disappointing. You cant spin away with in the way someones rights, taking control over their body, denying someone medication or taking away their plan for their future. You cant stand putting someones life in jeopardy. Thats why weve seen a lot of clumsy attempts to change the subject. Let me be perfectly clear, we are not changing the subject. Not as long as i have anything to say about it. Women should have the right to make their own healthcare decision with their family, their doctor and their faith. Thats what i will continue to fight for. I would like to ask unanimous consent to add two statements to the record about the impact of dobbs on Womens Health, so ordered and for any senators who wish to ask additional questions, questions for the record will be due in ten ten Business Days july 27, 5 p. M. With that, the committee is adjourned. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible