Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the importance of ensuring coverage for contraceptives and the impact this has on women's health.

For centuries, important aspects of women's health care have been treated as a political football by advocates on all sides of the issue. In politicians' efforts to score political points, women suffer because of a lack of access to coverage, a lack of reliable information about health care choices, and because many women are vilified for some of the health care choices they make.

It's time to take politics out of women's health, and it's time to ensure that women's health coverage includes full access to contraception. Birth control can have significant health care benefits for women and their families. It can significantly reduce health care costs. And it's one of the most commonly taken drugs in the United States.

We need to stop playing games with people's health and instead live up to our responsibilities to protect the right of women to make the health care choices that are right for them. I look forward to working every Wednesday to talk about women's health.