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US Senator Gillibrand blasts Blunt Amendment

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on Senate Floor
Photo from her video of her speech
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on Senate Floor

U-S  Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is fighting back against what she and other democrats call the latest republican attack on women's health.   Senator Gillbrand spoke out from the Senate floor Wednesday against what democrats believe is an extreme amendment.  

The Senate is poised to vote Thursday on the Blunt amendment from Senator Roy Blunt.  It would override the President's contraception coverage rule.  It would allow private  employers to opt out of any coverage for religious or moral reasons.

“When will my colleagues understand this very non-debatable fact, that the decision of whether a woman takes one medicine or another or what type of health care she should have access to should not be the decision of her boss?” Gillibrand said on the Senate floor. 

Democrats, like Gillbrand believe its an attempt to restrict access to birth control.

“This extreme amendment Republicans are bringing up for a vote today makes it clear as day, this is a political and ideological overreach, not a religious issue,” Gillibrand said. “The fact that they want to exempt all businesses from providing any preventive care for a woman is outrageous and a clear, callous disregard of the health and well-being of America’s women.”

Gillibrand said the amendment is also  dangerous for children because vaccines could be denied on the basis of personal beliefs. 

“This amendment isn’t just dangerous for women,” she noted. “It’s also dangerous to our children, and children’s health groups are opposing this amendment because vaccines could be denied on the basis of personal beliefs.”

The Blunt Amendment would allow private employers to pick and chose medical care.   Gillbrand calls it an intrusion into women's lives.