Putting Prevention First

Floor Speech

PUTTING PREVENTION FIRST -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 21, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. DANNY K. DAVIS
OF ILLINOIS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2004

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Pro-choice Caucus Co-Chairs-Congresswoman Slaughter, Congressman Greenwood, Congresswoman Degette, and Congresswoman Johnson for disregarding partisan lines and working together for the safety of women and to secure women's reproductive rights. I am proud to be an original cosponsor to such a comprehensive piece of legislation that does not focus on controversy but on preventive care and education. Those who consider themselves pro-choice do not agree on many issues with those who
consider themselves pro-life. But the one thing that we both agree on is preventing women and teens from having unintended pregnancies and having an abortion. To succeed, we must provide education to young women about their bodies and about preventing pregnancies and STDs. I always say education is the key. We know that education works-rates of unintended pregnancies among teens have greatly declined as well as the number of abortions being performed. Yet, we have not done enough. In 2000, there were approximately 18.9 million new cases of STDs in the United States including an increase in HIV-AIDS.

The reproductive health of women should be a public health priority for our Nation. Although, I believe abstinence should be taught and stressed-it is not a reality for many of our young people. Family planning programs must be available to all women-young, older, poor, middle class, those with private insurance or on Medicaid. Again, I commend the pro-choice caucus for offering legislation that focuses on keeping abortion legal, safe, and rare with proper education and preventive health care services.

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