Hobby Lobby

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring attention to the Hobby Lobby case, which is being argued today at the Supreme Court.

In this case, a for-profit company is refusing to cover the birth control of its female employees, citing the owners' personal religious objections.

In 2014, the idea that a woman has to fight for access to birth control is astonishing. Ninety-nine percent of American women will use contraception at some point in their lives.

As I have said before, all health care decisions, including birth control and women's reproductive rights, should be between a woman and her doctor, not involving her boss or a politician here in Washington, D.C.

The wide availability of birth control has been an enormous benefit for millions of women and the American economy, enabling generations of women to support themselves financially, complete their education, and plan for the right time to start a family.

It is a basic, preventative health care option. It should not be available only at the discretion of a woman's employer, nor should a woman have to choose between her job and her health.

As a husband of nearly 28 years and a father of two, it seems pretty simple to me. Women, not bosses, should be in charge of their personal health care decisions.

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