National Women's Health Week

Floor Speech

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Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's Health Week.

Our goal this week is to empower women to prioritize and to take charge of their health. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, women can access preventative care for little or no cost, but there still are concerning gaps in women's health.

One out of four women reports not visiting a doctor because of the cost, and nearly two out of three women in America die from chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, which is why women need quality, affordable, and accessible health care.

Protecting and improving the health of American women is one of my top priorities in Congress. I fought to insert language in the annual defense bill to ensure that our brave servicewomen and female veterans have access to adequate health services that fully address their specific medical needs, including preventative care and infertility treatments.

We have seen increasing attacks on women's health in Congress. So it is important, more than ever, that we ensure women's access to contraception and to their constitutionally protected right to choose.

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