MSNBC's Luke Russert talks to Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown law student who testified at today's Democratic hearing on contraception. Fluke wasn't allowed to testify during last week's House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing.
Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke was finally given a chance to talk to Congress today.
Last Thursday, the Republican-controlled House Oversight and Government Reform Committee rejected Democrats' request that Fluke testify on the Obama administration's policy requiring that employees of religion-affiliated institutions have access to health insurance that covers birth control. In fact, no women were included in the hearing's first panel of witnesses.
Today, she testified at an unofficial Democratic-sponsored hearing (news cameras were allowed, but it was not covered by House-operated TV cameras).
"I'm an American woman who uses contraceptives," Fluke said, when asked by Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., about her qualifications to speak on the issue. "That makes me qualified to talk to my elected officials about my health care needs."
Sandra Fluke, who was denied an opportunity to testify about the Obama administration's policy requiring that employees of religion-affiliated institutions have access to health insurance that covers birth control, testifies at an unofficial hearing.
Fluke, a third-year law student, said that Georgetown Law, a Jesuit institution, does not provide contraception coverage in its student health plan and that contraception can cost a woman more than $3,000 during law school.
She spoke of a friend who had an ovary removed because the insurance company wouldn't cover the prescription birth control she needed to stop the growth of cysts.
It was the same story Fluke movingly told on MSNBC's The Ed Show on the very evening she was silenced at that Feb. 16 GOP hearing.
"She had to pay out of pocket about $100 a month for her, month after month after month," Fluke said last week on The Ed Show. "And eventually she just couldn't afford it like many students just cannot afford that kind of a cost."
An all-male panel testifies to Congress about contraception, but the Democrats' witness, Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke, wasn't allowed to testify. Fluke joins Ed exclusively, then Professor Caroline Heldman breaks down the politics of it all.
Fluke also spoke today of the confusion caused such policies, mentioning a woman who did not seek medical treatment after being raped because she believed Georgetown didn't provide coverage for women's "sexual health care."
Sandra Fluke, who finally got an opportunity to testify before House members about women's reproductive health, talked about how a woman she knew did not seek medical treatment after being raped because of her concerns about sexual health insurance coverage.
Committee chairman Darrell Issa (R) had said at last week's hearing that the panel's focus was on whether the administration policy was a violation of religious freedom. He said at the time that Fluke, invited by Democrats in her capacity as former head of Georgetown Law Students for Reproductive Justice, was not qualified to speak on the religious rights question.
Democrats pounced on that image of a hearing discussing contraceptive rights being dominated by men while the one person Democrats had asked to appear on the witness stand, a woman, was turned away. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said they had since heard from 300,000 people urging that women's voices be heard on the issue.
Ed will have a lot more to say about this story tonight on The Ed Show at 8pET on MSNBC!
Leave a Comment:
gop-re-baggers - All Need To Get Thrown Out Of Politics And Stop These Religious Goofs From Sticking Their Noses Into Politics !!!!!!! And Allow These Women To Voice What Is Rite For Themselves !!
Darryl Issa is one of the biggest threats to American Democracy alive today. He is about as dangerous as it gets to a free society. And this absolute sham of a ' panel ' on women's health that was held by the Republicon Misogynists and Chauvinist Pigs is a perfect example of that.
This woman's story needed to be heard . . . but being the fascists they are . . . she almost did not get a chance to do that. Thank God for MSNBC and the Democrats.
Ed must think the left is stupid and can't see facts when he posts lies over and over again. Facts matter right? It wasn't an all male panel.
listen eric!,
the first panel WAS ALL MALE. it was only after darrell issa refused to let Fluke speak, and he was questioned about why no women were on the panel, that he went out and got two "token" women, women who have the same beliefs as the 5 men who already testified FOR THE SECOND PANEL.
perhaps it is you who is "stupid". CHECK OUT the FACTS.
Dictator Wanna-bees !!!!!!!
The first panel was all male. That is the fact that we are discussing!
Who cares about a panel? The GOP hearings are a dog and pony show more than anything else, they have their agenda set in stone by the Tea Party ignorants and their corporate owners, the hearings are just a formality!
It is funny that the very people that oppose Christian beliefs on the origin of man and support the concept of evolution support contraception and abortion as it contradicts the very principles of Darwin's view of nature. It is not natural for a female, regardless of species to prevent, abort or kill her own offspring. How can anyone believe in evolution believe in contraception or abortion?
This is one of the more asinine comments I've seen here, and that includes re-regs!
Are you saying it is naturl for a female to not pursue reproduction or for that matter to prevent or stop reproduction?
is it "natural" for a man to take viagra when he has erectile dysfunction?
many women who do not enjoy sex that much, now because of viagra, their men are all primed up again, and ready to go, just when they thought they were getting a break. it isn't fair for men to take viagra, and expect their "wives" to have no defense.
sometimes women want to have sex for fun, just like men do, without the fear of getting pregnant.
you must be male. i realize there are women who believe as you do, but most women feel that your comments are ignorant. some women do not want to get pregnant, and no-one wants an abortion, BUT THAT DECISION SHOULD be UP TO THE ONE WHO IS PREGNANT, AND WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A VERY PAINFUL delivery.
i wish men had to give birth-they wouldn't be so condescending and disrespectful of women.
There's a difference between just a "female" and a woman, and that difference is called humanity, respect, appreciation for another's right control their own body.
Suzette, don't ask Mitch McConnell, he doesn't understand life without viagra.
It's a joke, the entire GOP thing is a joke... They're so pro-life they want to cut out SCHIP and Medicaid. For the GOP life begins at conception and ends at birth! What a bunch of morons!
One of the silliest convoluted comments ever posted. It does not make any sense.
Male baboons will take over the females of another male and kill all her offspring so they won't be bothered raising them.
If contraception is natural perhaps the Polar Bears the left is so concerned about are simply practicing abstinence. As for the use of Viagra, it is intended to assist in the natural drive to reproduce. Contraception and abortion contradict the natural drive to do so.
Finally She has her voice heard. This issue is so personal and a panel of men have no right to dictate a woman's health. This issue should not be government issue or church. Its time to stop this crusade against women!
My next wedding gift is a case of condoms for the groom and a calendar for the bride. (She will need it for the rhythm method.) It appears that is all that was available in the last century. The Repubs only function in REVERSE. And I thought only the Beatles BELIEVED IN YESTERDAY.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Bingo
Why is it so difficult for anyone to understand that contraception is against the Catholic faith, therefore, why would you expect contraception coverage from any Catholic institution? It seems oppresive to see women or men demanding a Catholic institution to provide birth control, a clear violation of Catholic doctrine. You may not understand the doctrine but surely you understand what persecution is. Forcing any religious organization to support something that opposes it's religious doctrine is an obvious threat to religious freedom. If you want birth control coverage don't expect it in a Catholic organization, I really don't see that this is difficult to understand.