Ann Marie Buerkle: “I thank my colleague for putting together this hour that is so meaningful and so important not just for Democrats or…”

“I thank my colleague for putting together this hour that is so meaningful and so important not just for Democrats or Republicans but for every American, not just for people of faith but for those who have no faith. This is a First Amendment issue. I stand here tonight as a health care professional, someone who is so vitally aware of the importance of conscience and the protection of conscience rights. This HHS rule is the largest intrusion that we have ever seen from the Federal Government on our rights of conscience. Every American-- every American--must understand what an insult this is to our constitutional rights. I want to just take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to challenge our media as they listen to this debate, and it is a debate that really encompasses so many unlikely bedfellows, I would say, that you see liberals, conservatives, Catholics, atheists, Christians, and Jews coming together in an outrage because our First Amendment rights have been assaulted and have been attacked by this administration. But I would challenge the media to not be fooled by the red herring that this administration continues to throw out there. Mr. Speaker, this is not about contraception. This is not about women's health. This is not about Catholicism. This is about protecting the most fundamental right that we, as Americans, have.…”