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For Immediate Release - February 10, 2005 Contact: Phil Craft - 212.860-0606
Justice Department Denies Member of Congress Ability to Speak or Submit Testimony At Public Hearing on Health Treatment Protocol for Victims of Sexual Assault
Instead, Dept. Asks Her to Leave
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (NY) was denied an opportunity to speak or submit testimony at a public hearing held by the Justice Department that was scheduled to gather public comment on its National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examination. Instead of accepting Congresswoman Maloney's statement or written testimony, she was asked to leave by an official who suggested that if she did not leave security would be called.
Congresswoman Maloney was at the meeting to call attention to the glaring omission of Emergency Contraception in the Justice Department's first ever national protocol on treatment for victims of sexual assault.
Unfortunately, Maloney was not allowed to speak, even though she was the only Member of Congress present. Rep. Maloney was also refused the right to submit or even leave her written testimony at the site. A representative of the Justice Department threatened to call security if Rep. Maloney did not remove herself from the room.
"When the Justice Department threatens to call security on a Member of Congress who wants to help rape victims avoid unwanted pregnancy, something is horribly wrong," said Maloney.
Congresswoman Maloney said she plans to continue to work toward getting EC included in the Protocol, saying, "I look forward to the response from the Justice Department to our Congressional letter seeking an explanation for why EC was omitted from their protocol, thus putting rape victims at higher risk for unwanted pregnancy. Today's unfortunate incident raises questions about the basic willingness of the Justice Department to hear public comment on its decisions regarding women's health."
Background: On January 13, 2005, Congresswoman Maloney and a bipartisan group of 96 of her colleagues urged the Justice Department to help rape victims avoid unwanted pregnancies by including the option of emergency contraception (EC) in its National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examination (http://www.house.gov/maloney/issues/choice/011305DOJ.pdf) The Department's first-ever medical guidelines for treating sexual-assault victims currently excludes any mention of EC, commonly called the "Morning-After Pill," even though earlier draft versions did contain references to EC.
---- Jenny Brown