Kathy Castor: “I thank the gentlewoman from Colorado for her leadership. For almost 50 years, a law called title X has ensured that…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from Colorado for her leadership. For almost 50 years, a law called title X has ensured that women across America, no matter their station in life, can receive expert advice on how and when to plan their families, on contraceptives, and also receive breast and cervical cancer screenings. It is smart public policy. It often allows women to complete their education and to get a job to become financially independent. It is cost effective for all of us because it saves public money on prenatal, maternity, and newborn care, and it has worked to decrease teenage and unintended pregnancies. In Florida, in 2014 alone, over 160,000 were counseled through nonprofit agencies and community health centers, and over 38,000 unintended pregnancies were prevented, which helped prevent about 18,000 unintended births. That resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in cost savings. Plus, it is difficult to put a price tag on the ability of someone to become self-sufficient and get a good start in life. Title X is critical for many of my neighbors in Florida, and it should be protected. So it is sad to see my Republican colleagues target working families and young women to restrict access to contraceptives, family planning, and other health services. If Republicans are successful, it would only harm our communities, and in doing so, you are targeting the folks who need the help the most.…”