HRES 1147
Recognizing the United States legacy of dismissed pain and denied autonomy in women's health care, and affirming the Federal Government's duty to protect individual dignity and advance patient-centered care in women's health.
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Bill overview
This resolution acknowledges the historical and ongoing injustices faced by women in the United States, particularly regarding pain management and autonomy in healthcare. It recognizes a legacy of dismissing women’s concerns and denying them control over their bodies, stemming from practices like forced sterilization and coercive testing. The resolution calls for a shift towards patient-centered care, increased federal investment in women’s health research, and a commitment to ending systemic biases within the healthcare system.
Key provisions
- Recognizes historical injustices in women's healthcare.
- Honors women who have experienced denial of agency.
- Promotes shared decision-making in gynecological and reproductive care.
- Calls for increased federal investment in women’s health research.
- Encourages accountability for bias and harm within healthcare institutions.
Who is affected
- Women
- Marginalized women (Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, disabled, low-income)
- Patients receiving gynecological and reproductive care
Notable changes
- Highlights the need to address historical exploitation and bias in medical practices.
- Emphasizes the importance of bodily autonomy and patient-centered care.
- Addresses recent rollbacks of reproductive rights.
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. RES. 1147
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the United States legacy of dismissed pain and denied autonomy in women’s health care, and affirming the Federal Government’s duty to protect individual dignity and advance patient-centered care in women’s health.
Whereas for generations, women in the United States—especially Black, indigenous, immigrant, LGBTQ+, disabled, and low-income women—have endured a system that too often treats their comfort as secondary, their pain as exaggerated, and their autonomy as negotiable;
Whereas the field of gynecology, while ranked high in patient trust and satisfaction compared to other medical disciplines, was historically built in part on the exploitation and sterilization of Black, enslaved, Puerto Rican, indigenous, immigrant, and disabled women without their consent, and remains a relatively under-researched area of medicine;
Whereas this history also includes the coercive testing of contraceptive pills on women and girls in Puerto Rico;
Whereas countless women continue to experience their pain being dismissed or minimized, contributing to delayed diagnoses, untreated conditions, and unnecessary physical and psychological suffering that could have been prevented;
Whereas American history is marked by laws and medical practices that have required spousal or State approval for women to make choices about their own bodies and private medical decisions, like whether to access contraception, undergo sterilization, or terminate a pregnancy;
Whereas recent escalation of rollbacks on reproductive rights, including on the constitutional right to abortion, have only worsened access to care for women’s health conditions, endangering reproductive health outcomes and directly causing preventable medical emergencies not seen in over half a century; and
Whereas the future of women’s health care must center justice, bodily autonomy, and empowering patients to make informed decisions about their reproductive, sexual, and menstrual health: Now, therefore, be it
recognizes the historical and ongoing injustices that deny women the dignity, seriousness, and respect they deserve;
honors the women, especially marginalized women, who have been denied agency over their bodies and suffered due to systemic neglect and bias;
commits to expanding access to reproductive and gynecological health care, strengthening protections for bodily autonomy, increasing Federal investment in women’s health research, and holding institutions accountable for bias and harm; and