Debbie Dingell: “I rise in support of S. 1722, and H.R. 4683, its identical version in the House... this is a very good bill, worthy of…”

“I rise in support of S. 1722, and H.R. 4683, its identical version in the House... this is a very good bill, worthy of support, but unfortunately in the haste of the conclusion of this session it has not had the benefits of hearings or markup sessions in the Subcommittee on Health and Environment or in the Committee on Commerce. That normal and usual practice undoubtedly would have improved the bill. My colleagues on the committee from both sides of the aisle possess great expertise in matters of this kind and they would have given generously of their time and knowledge and thereby added greatly to the quality of the legislation. The legislation before us enjoys the support of many organizations with strong credentials in the area of women's health issues. The administration also supports the bills, but each of these supporters would have welcome opportunities to come before the committee to convey comments and concerns. The hearings would have revealed that this bill is a bit limited in scope, with many serious and controversial issues left unaddressed.”