Nov 10, 2009 10:11 pm US/Eastern
Wasserman-Schultz Says Women "Repulsed" By GOP
WASHINGTON (CBS4) ―
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Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fla.)
AP
As the House version of the health care bill made its way through parliamentary procedures on Saturday, a strange scene unfolded between a group of female Democratic members and some GOP members.
Representative Tom Price (R-Ga.) repeatedly shouted "I object!" as the female Democratic members offered items for unanimous consent. This caused a contentious few minutes and angered Democratic members, including Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.
The Florida Democrat gave a statement saying, "This is a party (GOP) that doesn't respect women, a party that doesn't believe women are equal to men. I don't think they attract women to their party. I think they repulse women."
She later said on a Monday conference call that the GOP's tactics on Saturday amounted giving women "back of the hand treatment," according to the Huffington Post.
The repeated objections from Republicans on Saturday came as members of the Democratic Women's Caucus tried to offer into the record ways how the health care reform bill would help women. "We already had a clear sense that Republicans were opposed to our efforts to advance women's health. Now we know they're opposed to letting women voice their opinions on health care as well," Wasserman-Schultz said.
When asked about the statement on MSNBC on Monday that Republicans repulse women,
Wasserman-Schultz said, "We have a caucus in the House that is literally made up of 17 Republican women. I mean, they are literally virtually 90 percent male, 100 percent out of touch with the issues that matter to women."
Wasserman-Schultz continued, "The overwhelming majority of Republicans voted against the equal pay act, the Lily Ledbetter Act, which was the first bill President Obama signed into law when he became President. It's very clear that the Republican's attitude towards women in this country is one of indifference. It's a talk to the hand type of approach, and I think that's why they don't get very many women when it comes to elections, in terms of voters and they don't really have a lot of women interested in running with their party label."
It's not likely that the rhetoric between Republicans and Democrats will be toned down on the final health care bill that is sent to the President anytime soon. The final version of the bill that ultimately passed the House included a contentious provision called the Stupak Amendment that would impose limits on elective abortions by prohibiting public and private insurers involved in the new health care exchange from covering the procedure.
Tuesday morning, Senator Barbara Boxer announced she had the support of enough members in the Senate to kill the Stupak Amendment from the Senate version of the bill. The question will then become can a compromised bill be put together in committee that can win enough support from conservative and liberal Democrats that can win final approval and be sent to the President.
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