Transcripts For CSPAN Hearing On Reproductive Health Care 20

Rep. Maloney the committee will now come to order. Good morning to everyone. The purpose of this hearing is to examine how state policies like those in missouri are impacting residents access to comprehensive Reproductive Health care services, including abortion. Without objections the chair is authorized to declare a recess of the committee at any time. For audience purposes, we welcome you and respect your interest in being here. In turn, we request and we ask you to respect the proceedings as we go forward in todays hearings. With that, i will recognize myself to give an Opening Statement. I would like to begin by acknowledging that this is the First Full Committee Hearing we have held since our friend, our colleague, and our beloved chairman Elijah Cummings passed away. Chairman cummings spent his entire life fighting for justice and equality for everyone. He was a fierce champion for womens access to health care. Across the country, extreme forces i and State Governments e taking draconian steps to violate womens rights by restricting access to Reproductive Health Services Including abortion. These state actions include a burden,site undue restrictions, and outrageously invasive procedures for patients seeking abortions. Let me be clear about what these restrictions are. They are a denial of basic Health Care Services women have a right to receive, no matter where they live. I want to thank my very good friend, congressman clay, for his leadership in requesting todays hearing. Missouri has taken some of the most extreme actions to limit access to Reproductive Health care. Missouri is one of six states with one remaining Abortion Provider. As we will hear today, it is at risk of having no providers at all. Missouris one remaining clinic is planned parenthood. We thank that clinics director, dr. Nicholas, for testifying here today and for her brave service to the women in her Community Every single day. Earlier this year, dr. Randall williams, director of the misery Missouri State Health Department, ordered planned parenthood to perform medically unnecessary pelvic examinations on every single woman seeking abortion. This was an invasive statesponsored abuse of women seeking care. After significant public backlash, the state suspended this cruel practice. But dr. Williams also recently was forced to admit that he directed state employees to collect information about patients menstrual cycles to advance his ideological crusade. That is what they were spending taxpayers dollars on. I cannot begin to describe my disgust at these violations of privacy and breaches of trust by government officials. Sadly, missouris actions are not taking place in isolation. Other states have pushed for similar restrictions. I believe these states have been emboldened by the Trump Administrations systemic attacks and general disregard for women. Our former chairman darrell issa held a hearing in this room with an allmale panel of religious leaders who were trying to take away contraceptive coverage for women. They did not invite one single woman to testify on that panel. Then they refused our request to have sandra fluke, a georgetown who was a Georgetown Law School student at the time, testify about the importance of Health Insurance coverage of contraceptives. They said she was not qualified. That iat that hearing asked in protest, where are the women . It is time to let women speak. It is time for everyone to listen. It is time for elected representatives in congress and in state houses across the country to protect the right to privacy and a womans right to Abortion Services rather than attack it, undermine it, and try to eliminate it. I want to thank jennifer box for sharing her family story with us. No one should ever have to make the heartbreaking decision you and your husband had to make. But it is your decision and it doesnt belong to anyone else. I also want to thank Marcela Howell from in our own voice, which is part of the National Reproductive justice agenda. And fatima graves from the law center for all of her work and being here today and for helping the committee and me on this. Subject. I know recognize the Ranking Member jordan for his Opening Statement and i yield back. Rep. Jordan thank you, madam chair. I want to thank our witnesses for being here today. In the declaration of independent signed 243 years ago , our Founding Fathers enshrines the principle that life, liberty , and the pursuit of happiness are inalienable for everyone. I think it is always interesting to note the order of the rights placed what they chose to mention. Can you really pursue happiness . Can you chase down your goals and dreams if you first dont have freedom, if you first dont have liberty . And do you ever enjoy true liberty, true freedom if government wont protect your most fundamental right, your right to live, your right to life . Life is precious. Its a sacred gift from god. During an earlier time here in congress, whatever disagreements that we had, colleagues who didnt share those beliefs there , there was a common understanding about this fundamental principle. That life, in fact, is precious. Over the past few years, it seems our two sides have moved away from this basic understanding. Today, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will charge me and republicans as being against women. Democrats will say, if youre not for them in this position, their position on this issue, then youre against all women. We want all people, including women and babies, to have access to worldclass health care. Statements to the contrary are simply false. And are meant to divide our country. Today, this congress is in the midst of an unprecedented impeachment inquiry against President Trump. I am proud that President Trump is one of the most prolife president s to ever lead our nation. President trump has taken bold steps to stop federal funding of abortions and enabled better Legal Protections for Health Care Workers who are opposed to providing, assisting, or participating in these procedures. The hearing today is an attack on that prolife record. Todays culture, standing for life, its not easy. Im always guided by one of my favorite scripture verses. Second timothy 4 7, fight the good fight. Finish the course. Keep the faith. Thats what we have to do. Keep the faith in those basic principles outlined in that document that started our nation over 200 years ago. We came to this congress to fight for the right of all americans to have life, liberty, and pursue happiness. I yield back. Rep. Maloney i will now yield one minute to the member from the great state of missouri, lacy clay, who requested this hearing. Rep. Clay thank you, madam chairwoman. I along with my constituents appreciate your calling this hearing today on an urgent issue that threatens the health and personal freedom of millions of american women. The assault against a womans right to make their own Health Care Decisions is an insult to the basic values of individual freedom and limited government. Nowhere in the nation is that assault more urgent than in my home state of missouri, specifically in the city of st. Louis, which i am so proud to represent. Planned parenthood of st. Louis is the last remaining Womens Health care clinic in the entire state of missouri that also provides Abortion Services. I visited the clinic staff and physicians this past june as the battle was elevating, and i wanted to lend my support and voice to their efforts. As a husband, father, and brother, i support and trust the private personal Health Choices of women. I am truly amazed that the Missouri Department of health went along with efforts to shut down the clinic, intimidate patients, and threaten providers, and would allegedly and bizarrely track womens menstrual periods on spreadsheets to determine if they had had an abortion. No woman should be subjected to this violation of their personhood. This is america. Its her body. Its her health care, and its her decision. I stand with planned parenthood because they are truly on the front lines of defending Womens Health care across america. Madam chairwoman, i would also like to introduce into the record a personal statement by ms. Meevie mead, the director of policy and organizing of planned parenthood advocates in missouri. Rep. Maloney without objection. So ordered. Rep. Clay thank you. I yield back. Rep. Maloney and i will now yield time to the member from the great state of north carolina, dr. Fox. Dr. Fox thank you, chairwoman maloney. I welcome you to your first hearing as acting chairwoman and look forward to continuing working together in your new role. We have had a productive working relationship over the years. I commit to continuing in that spirit. I want to save my sympathy goes out to any woman who feels she must seek an abortion. It must be a horrible situation to be in. I will admit i am perplexed by the scope of the hearing. My colleagues on the other side are quick to assert that roe v. Wade is the law of the land. However, law allows states to implement abortion restrictions, even ones that apply during the first trimester. States are grappling with issues of how to defend and preserve lives and support standards for Womens Health care. As states continue to explore ways to do so, in recent years, we are now at a reflection point. After the governor of virginias horrific comments earlier this year there has been a national , outcry over the apathy shown by the proabortion Movement Towards babies that have been born after an abortion. This is an issue that has been close to my heart and the hearts of millions of americans. I am going to quote the governor. If a mother is in labor, the i can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that is what the mother and family desire. Then a discussion would ensure. Ensue between the physicians and the mother. Governor northam does not stand alone in this appalling stance. He echoes a planned parenthood lobbyist who expressed support for leaving an abortion survivor on the table to die, if that is what the patient and abortionist decided. In new york, the Reproductive Health act signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo removes protections for children born during an abortion attempt, leaving them at the mercy of the abortionist who just minutes earlier was trying to kill them. Illinois has also enacted a law that revealed the illinois partialbirth abortion ban act, removes licensing requirements for abortion facilities. Still, other states, notably massachusetts and virginia, having proposed legislation equally as alarming. Only two thirds of the state s have any laws to protect infants who survive abortion and positively enshrine their right to life into law. That is simply unacceptable. I hardly find anyone is losing access to anything, anyone save the defenseless, the unborn. The unborn are now even born alive. They are the ones having their rights deprived, and the American People find this intolerable. I find it to be an abomination. The pendulum in the states is not one swinging against women, not in the slightest. Some of my colleagues used to espouse the idea that abortion should be safe, legal, and rare. They espouse it no longer. Instead, on demand access to abortion up to and tragically even after birth is the new mantra. The fact that extremists wants are working to keep this everexpanding restriction on the right to life buttressed against the lives of babies born outside the womb, this should be a wakeup call to us all. Endll on Speaker Pelosi to her blockade against the bipartisan born alive survivors protection act. It would protect babies born alive in the jurisdictions that fail to do so. Life is sacred. The regard with which we hold it is what defines who we are as a society. We live in a society that mistakes choice for liberty and denies the dignity of unborn life. The beauty of living in a free country is we can use our liberty for love. We must put love into action every day, affirming the value of life at all stages, no matter the difficulties it presents. Starting to love daily is not easy, yet it is the greatest exercise of our freedom, and there is no life unworthy of that love. I yield back. , madam chairman. Thank you. Rep. Maloney i will briefly yield to congressman clay to introduce his constituent, dr. Nicholas. Rep. Clay thank you, i am happy to introduce to the committee one of my distinguished constituents, a highly skilled physician who has dedicated her life to providing Exceptional Health care for all women, the chief medical officer of planned parenthood of the st. Louis region in southwest missouri. She has also served as a distinguished assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Washington University of medicine in st. Louis. The doctor is also a champion for Closing Health care disparities like high maternal and infant mortality rates that affect minority and low income patients, most because of a lack of access to basic medical care. Dr. Mcnicholas performs her duties with skill and compassion. She is a compassionate healer who fiercely defends her patients rights and their privacy as well. Dr. Mcnicholas is a warrior for access to Quality Health care for women, not just in st. Louis, but across missouri and across the nation as well. Welcome, doctor. I yield back. Rep. Maloney thank you, congressman. Week are also joined by jennifer from st. Louis, missouri. She was holding that beautiful baby girl. Also, we are joined with fatima, president and chief executive officer of the National Womens law center. Texas, androm marcella howell, founder and president , chief executive officer in our own voice, National Black womens reproductive justice agenda. If you would all please rise and raise your right hand, i will begin to swear you in. And raise your right hand. Affirm ther to testimony you are about to get is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god . Let the record show that the witnesses answered in the affirmative. Thank you, and please be seated. The microphones are sensitive, so please speak directly into them. Without objection, your written statement will be made part of the record. With that, you are now recognized for your Opening Statement. Box good afternoon, acting chairwoman maloney, Ranking Member jordan, and members of this committee. I am a mother of three living children, and i am here today with my three month old and husband. I am a Small Business owner, a wife, and a missourian. I am here to share with you as someone in need of an abortion how difficult my home state of missouri makes it for pregnant people to access abortion. Something i never imagined i would have to navigate when learning the most devastating news of our life. It was in the same breath i learned my pregnancy had a fatal fetal diagnosis, that my home i learned my home state of missouri would insert itself in the middle of my grief. I searched for answers everywhere, yet we found no solace in them. Our daughter is not stillborn, would be born into a life of immediate and repeated invasive medical intervention. She would essentially have been born onto life support. With broken hearts, we knew the greatest act of love that we could undertake as her parents would be to suffer ourselves instead, to end the pregnancy, grant her peace, and spare her tiny broken body a short life full of pain. We had made our decision, and we are still grappling with the reality of it. There was little time to spare. Missourians like me who seek abortion are confronted with a litany of restrictions, including mandatory waiting periods, public and private bans, informed consent laws, and more. This means i move at the direction of the government. My doctors Catholic Hospital where i delivered my two older children refused me care. We had to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket because of the states insurance ban against abortion coverage. Perhaps most surprising, our procedure was rushed due to the states consent and mandatory delay laws. Despite how difficult it was to access the medical care i needed, my actual abortion procedure was the most everssionate care i have received from a physician. Jake and i left that day knowing we made the most merciful choice loving and merciful choice for our daughter. I thought after the procedure, my family could begin to heal privately. I never imagined watching the state of the union and hearing the president refer to women like me, women who had abortions later in pregnancy, as murderers. I never thought them to my governor would weaponize the Health Department to end safe and legal abortion in missouri. I did not anticipate they would enact an eight week abortion ban, a ban that would have made it impossible for me to make the best decision for our family. Let me be clear, my stor