Joe Morelle: “I do note that in my home State of New York we have made the decision for many years to support women in poverty who…”

“I do note that in my home State of New York we have made the decision for many years to support women in poverty who seek reproductive rights. Rights are granted to us under the Constitution. Those rights are as fundamental as any other right guaranteed to us under the Constitution, but we don't have economic tests for rights in the United States. So if you have a right, Mr. Speaker, you have a right. We don't say you have the right to free speech as long as you can pay for it. We don't suggest that the right to assemble, the right to have your grievances addressed by your government, the right to petition, the right to press or to select the religion and support the religion that you choose is subject to some kind of economic test. We believe the same should be true for reproductive rights. So I would just say that in New York it is something that we have supported for many, many years, and we continue to urge support, public dollars for reproductive rights and for women's health, which is very much at stake, particularly in communities of color. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter), who is my friend on the Committee on Rules.”