Jackie Speier boycotts contraception rule hearing

Inside Bay Area ^ | 2/16/12 | Josh Richman, Oakland Tribune

[SmithL]

Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, explains why she boycotted today’s House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing on “Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience?”

“I have decided to boycott the sham hearing orchestrated today by the Republican members of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee to trample on the civil liberties of millions of American women who deserve coverage of their legitimate and most basic healthcare needs, including contraception.

“The Republican majority refused to allow the testimony of witnesses who represent millions of Catholics, such as myself, who fully support the Administration’s compromise on the provision of contraception. This is a sensible solution that allows religious affiliated institutions such as hospitals and universities to opt-out of providing such coverage to their employees directly as long as women have access through the insurer.

“The fact that the majority failed to allow any witnesses to testify to the impact access to contraception has on the physical, spiritual and economic well being of women speaks volumes. California has had a similar rule in place for more than ten years, and that rule has been found not to violate religious freedom. Catholic institutions in California have continued to provide comprehensive health insurance to women. If the majority wishes to have an unbiased examination of this issue, I will be happy to participate.”

The New York Times has a good story today about how both sides – those who see this as a matter of religious liberty, and those who see it as a matter of women’s health – are eager to use this as a potent election-year wedge issue. That said, should a taxpayer-funded hearing be the venue for such a duel, especially if one of the duelers is denied a weapon?

Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the committee’s ranking Democrat, wrote yesterday to committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Vista, to complain that Issa had stacked the deck for today’s hearing. Read a salient passage from that letter, after the jump…

“Rather than inviting witnesses on both sides of this issue to engage in a reasoned and balanced discussion, you have constructed one of the most one-sided hearings I have ever seen, stacking it only with witnesses who agree with your position. Earlier this week, you informed Committee Members that you had invited nine witnesses, including officials from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and other religious entities that oppose the accommodation announced last week by the Administration to allow women employees of religiously-affiliated organizations such as hospitals and universities to obtain coverage for contraceptive services directly through their insurance companies.

“You did not invite officials from the Catholic Health Association, Catholic Charities USA, Catholics United, or a host of other Catholic groups that praised the White House for making this accommodation last week. You also failed to invite any women to testify about the negative impact that restrictive insurance coverage has on them.

“When my staff inquired about requesting minority witnesses for this hearing, we were informed that you would allow only one. Based on your decision, we requested as our minority witness a third-year Georgetown University Law Center student named Sandra Fluke. I believed it was critical to have at least one woman at the witness table who could discuss the repercussions that denying coverage for contraceptives has on women across this country.

“In response, your staff relayed that you had decided as follows: ‘As the hearing is not about reproductive rights and contraception but instead about the Administration’s actions as they relate to freedom of religion and conscience, he believes that Ms. Fluke is not an appropriate witness.’

“It is inconceivable to me that you believe tomorrow’s hearing has no bearing on the reproductive rights of women. This Committee commits a massive injustice by trying to pretend that the views of millions of women across this country are meaningless, worthless, or irrelevant to this debate.

“Instead of inviting Ms. Fluke to testify, your staff informed us that you planned to invite a different witness who was no longer available after being informed of your decision to limit the minority to a single witness. Compounding this insult, this afternoon you added two more witnesses of your own, in violation of Committee rules requiring three days notice for witnesses called by the majority.”

[muawiyah]

Just another Fascist Pig.

What I'd like to know is why these Fascists dump all the good lookin' ones and turn these ol'gals into their heroes!

[ConorMacNessa]

Make her write on the blackboard 100 times:

It's not about contraception - it's about Religious Freedom!

It's not about contraception - it's about Religious Freedom!

It's not about contraception - it's about Religious Freedom!

It's not about contraception - it's about Religious Freedom!

It's not about contraception - it's about Religious Freedom!

It's not about contraception - it's about Religious Freedom!

It's not about contraception - it's about Religious Freedom!

Et Cetera. . .



Nos genuflectitur ad non princeps sed Princeps pacem!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Regulator]

Jackie may have been born a Catholic, but she left that gang a long time ago...

And she doesn't look like that anymore, add a few more pounds and a lot of years.

[skeeter]

Just another Fascist Pig.

Lying fascist pig. This story as carried in the MSM is all over the internet forums now - all featuring the same lie - that this was a forum on contraception.

I would give my left arm to see the republicans respond effectively to just one of these sham democrat kabuki plays.

[jacquej]

What part of “reproductive rights” doesn’t this idiot understand.

If I do not want to reproduce, I do not engage in sexual intercourse, period. It is that simple, folks.

Shout it loud and long to anyone who will pay attention.

We are not entitled by our creator to engage in reproductive activities without the consequences He has planned. If folks don’t like the consequences, they better not engage.

[Forrestfire]

And exactly what “Civil Rights” were trampled on?

[Tzimisce]

Screw you and your little "freedom of religion".

We're your government - you'll do what we tell you to do and smile while doing it.

Now why don't you go pay your taxes? We need raises.

[rollo tomasi]

[Doe Eyes]

If I do not want to reproduce, I do not engage in sexual intercourse, period. It is that simple, folks.

Do you think the Federal Government should outlaw birth control?

[D-fendr]

“… witnesses to testify to the impact access to contraception has on the physical, spiritual and economic well being of women…"

A) No one is denying access. B) What in the world is government doing making any judgement on the "spiritual well being" of anyone?

[montag813]

It WAS rather boneheaded of Issa to schedule ONLY men at the hearing and hand the Dems a killer visual. There are MUCHO females who agree as well...why not invite 2 or 3? The House leadership is totally clueless.

[mosesdapoet]

wrote:
It WAS rather boneheaded of Issa to schedule ONLY men at the hearing and hand the Dems a killer visual....Prime example of accepting MSM spin...and why MSM must be gone after to report the facts

Conception and birth control were not what this hearing was about, but religious freedom and the impact of the Obama edict was. .Two women were also scheduled to testify at this hearing...Which also included a Catholic bishop...

[SECURE AMERICA]

( to trample on the civil liberties of millions of American women who deserve coverage of their legitimate )
Sorry not letting you get away with it. It is not about civil liberties. You are allowed to kill your unborn baby in America. What this is about is not forcing people of religion and morals into paying for and supporting it against their religion and morals.........

[SECURE AMERICA]

(“The Republican majority refused to allow the testimony of witnesses who represent millions of Catholics, such as myself, who fully support the Administration’s compromise on the provision of contraception)

Then you are not really a Catholic. You are a Cafeteria Catholic. I’ll take one of these, one of these, no thanks, I don’t want any of that but I’ll have some of that over there......
It doesn’t work that way.

[SuziQ]

Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the committee’s ranking Democrat, wrote yesterday to committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Vista, to complain that Issa had stacked the deck for today’s hearing.…
“Rather than inviting witnesses on both sides of this issue to engage in a reasoned and balanced discussion, you have constructed one of the most one-sided hearings I have ever seen, stacking it only with witnesses who agree with your position.

Elijah already knows all about those one-sided hearings, because the Democrats had them all the time, when they were in the majority.

[christx30]

So you’re saying that a married couple, that has 2 kids, and doesn’t want any more should just never, never, ever have sex? Even though it helps the health of the marriage? My wife has a contraceptive implant, and we use condoms because we enjoy being together. After 45+ hours of work during the week, and the stress of two small kids, sex helps us relax and enjoy each other.

[jacquej]

No, but people need to remember that no method of birth control is 100% failure proof.

If one absolutely doesn’t want to “fall pregnant”, or father a child, one should understand that sex is designed for reproduction, and pleasure is a benefit.

The government has no business getting involved in birth control. That is up to the individual. If he or she wants to take the chance of pregnancy using birth control, it is none of my business, but I should not be obligated to pay for it either.

Taking a human life is against my moral code, and I should not have to pay for someone else’s abortion.

[jacquej]

I didn’t say never have sex, don’t be silly! My husband and I have been married for 45 years, have 4 children, with our youngest in spite of using birth control.

One doesn’t have to have intercourse to enjoy sexual pleasure with each other, we figured it out years ago.

Using the pill really messed up my libido, so we used barrier methods, which can fail.