Yesterday, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-31) stood up for women’s reproductive rights, first when he spoke on the House Floor against dangerous anti-choice language that was slipped into the 21^st Century Cures Act, a bill intended to advance medical research.  He also cosponsored legislation that protects women’s health.

“Tomorrow, The House will vote on the 21^st Century Cures Act, legislation that will advance medical research at the FDA and the NIH to lead to new treatment and cures for countless people. This is necessary. However, what is not necessary is the dangerous language that Republican leadership quietly tucked in the bill that blocks access to reproductive care. This is unacceptable. As a Member of the Pro-Choice Caucus, I oppose this and other attempts to expand restrictions on reproductive care. We can’t allow this type of anti-choice language to keep appearing in what is otherwise important legislation. Today it’s in legislation to further medical research, before it was in legislation to fund Community Health Centers and to protect victims of trafficking,” said Rep. Aguilar

He continued, “Allowing this policy to move forward will move women’s healthcare backward – we cannot allow these attacks to continue. Reps. Lee, Clarke and Schakowsky have offered an amendment to strike this destructive anti-choice language, and today I offer them my strong support. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of their amendment and to also insist that we need to stop injecting the Hyde language into parts of law it doesn’t belong.”

Rep. Aguilar also announced that he cosponsored H.R. 2972, the EACH Woman Act, which will ensure that low-income, military, and other women in federal health programs have equal access to abortion coverage. He also cosponsored H.R. 448, the Women’s Health Protection Act, which bans any state or local government from restricting access to abortion services. Rep. Aguilar is a member of the Pro-Choice Caucus and is committed to fighting for policies that support women’s access to reproductive healthcare. Rep. Aguilar’s floor remarks can be viewed in full here.