Murray: GOP Resolution on Women’s Health “Another Effort to Pander to the Extreme Republican Base”

Murray resolution to support women’s health is blocked by Senate Republicans

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered remarks on the Senate floor objecting to a Republican resolution that supports interfering with a woman’s constitutionally protected right to the full range of reproductive health care access. In her remarks, Murray explained that the resolution was another attempt to pander to the extreme Republican base, and showed that Republicans are determined to interfere with a woman’s medical decisions and choices.

Murray also offered a resolution that supports women making their own health care decisions and supports women by improving affordable access to birth control under the Affordable Care Act, but was blocked by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT).

VIDEO of Senator Murray’s remarks here.

Full text of Senator Murray’s remarks:

“Thank you.

“Reserving the right to object, I will ask the Senator to modify his request to offer a resolution that actually helps move women’s health and rights forward.

“M. President—simply put, this resolution is more of the same.

“It’s another effort to pander to the extreme Republican base by using women’s health and constitutionally protected rights as a political football.

“And unfortunately, it makes clear for the umpteenth time that, when it comes to improving access to affordable health care for women, Republicans are determined to stand in the way of progress.

“M. President, I expect that some of my Republican colleagues will say that this resolution shows how much they care about women’s health.

“The truth is, it shows the opposite. It shows once again that the Republican Party wants to interfere in a woman’s medical decisions.

“M. President, strengthening women’s health doesn’t start with telling women what they should and shouldn’t do with their own bodies—but that’s exactly what this resolution does.

“If my Republican colleagues really wanted to support women’s reproductive care, they would work with Democrats on improving access to affordable birth control under the Affordable Care Act, including emergency contraceptives, ensuring women and families make their own decisions about their health care—not their bosses, and fighting back against efforts across the country to undermine women’s constitutionally protected health care rights.

“M. President, it’s time for Republicans to drop the political attacks on women’s health and instead, join Democrats to focus on these priorities and many more like them…

“So that women, not politicians, or insurance companies, or CEOs—are in control of their health care, just as it should be.

“That’s why I ask that the Senator modify his request to instead ask unanimous consent that the HELP Committee be discharged from further consideration of S.Res.37, a resolution supporting women’s reproductive health care decisions, and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration and that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table without intervening action.”