Lois Capps: “As the debate today has shown, this Chamber is deeply divided over this bill. But we should all be able to agree that…”

“As the debate today has shown, this Chamber is deeply divided over this bill. But we should all be able to agree that when a pregnant woman is in a medical emergency, we must do all we can to save her, and that is what this final amendment affirms. I want to be clear: The passage of this amendment will not prevent the passage of the underlying bill. If it's adopted, my amendment will be incorporated into the bill and the bill will immediately be voted upon. Madam Speaker, the underlying bill creates a loophole which would allow hospitals to circumvent the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, a law that has saved many lives. The law, called EMTALA for short, was established to ensure that when a patient arrives at a hospital in critical condition, particularly women in labor, the patient will at least be stabilized. It is truly the embodiment of the Hippocratic Oath to ``apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures that are required.'' EMTALA has been law for over 25 years--and it works. However, the bill before us today could lead to a radical and uncalled for loophole to this law. It would allow providers to refuse emergency care for women even if their lives are endangered by their pregnancy. The hospitals could even refuse to give a referral. I'm a nurse who's worked long shifts in the hospital setting, and I find it immoral to deny care to a woman with a life-threatening condition just because she's pregnant.…”