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Providing for Consideration of H.R. Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Searching for and Cutting Regulations That Are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act of 2015

Floor Speech

Date: Jan. 6, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Women Health and Health Care

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Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, last year, newly elected Speaker Ryan made a New Year's resolution that the House would once again consider serious legislation for the benefit of the American people. Yesterday was the very first day of our legislative session, and the bill we are considering is not a serious proposal. Yes, we are voting on repealing the Affordable Care Act for the 62nd time this Congress and attacking women's health for the 11th time, and we are, in fact, going to have the 5th vote on the defunding Planned Parenthood.

Now, we know that Speaker Ryan is a committed athlete. In fact, his favorite workout is the P90X. It is based on repetition. An exercise repeating the same action over and over again can lead to success. I am sure we all admire Speaker Ryan's commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Normally, doing additional reps builds muscle mass, but the one muscle Republicans aren't exercising is their brain. Repeating the same, tired repeal and defund bill does not lead to more healthy laws. It just makes the American people tired and sore at the waste of taxpayer money.

American women are scratching their heads thinking: Why does the Republican leadership hate us so much? Why is it they want to take away our rights? Why is it they want to take away the very services that actually protect life? Planned Parenthood protects life by providing more than 900,000 cancer screenings a year, and millions more receive services through Planned Parenthood. Why are Republicans trying to deny us from accessing this very vital health care?

It is time for the Republicans to stop shoving these unhealthy, wasteful bills down our throats. Put down the political equivalent of a giant plate of nachos and exercise the hard job of governing.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote against this flabby rule.

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