"With all due respect to the Bishops, though you have every right to follow your conscience and honor all the dictates of your faith — no one should have the power to impose their faith on others — to bend them to your will — simply because they work for you. That in itself — is an assault on the fundamental freedoms enshrined in our Constitution.
"Mr. Chairman, I urge you once again — let Ms. Fluke testify. Let one woman speak on this panel — right now. She is here in the audience today — just steps away. Even if you think you will disagree with everything she says, don't you owe it to the tens of millions of American women whose lives will be affected by what we do here today — to let just one — just one speak on their behalf?
"Thank you."
Editor's Note: *The Committee's meeting was described as: "The full committee will hold a hearing entitled, "Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience?" on Thursday, February 16th at 9:30am in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building."
Rep. Eleanor Holmes-Norton also protested and walked out of the Committee's hearing. Rep. Jackie Spears boycotted the hearing and Rep. Rosa DeLauro also entered a statement including the following paragraphs:
"Rather, in releasing national guidelines for preventive health coverage that, like twenty-eight states before them, include contraceptive services, the administration has made a strong and long-overdue stand on behalf of women’s health, while upholding the religious liberty of churches, mosques, synagogues, and related institutions.
"Before I get to the issue before the Committee, I want to clearly state: These guidelines will be transformative for women. They will reduce health costs, end long-standing gender discrimination in prescription drug coverage and further enable women to lead healthier lives. And they clearly and irrefutably respect the religious beliefs of all Americans. Arguing otherwise is, quite frankly, disingenuous."
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