i currently live in birmingham, alabama. i just want to say ya'll means all, trans rights or human rights. by aears ago, i was raped coworker one night. the next morning, i woke up bleeding, confused, violated, and scared. i stayed in my house in the same clothing for three days. i could not process the trauma. a few weeks later, i realized i was experiencing noncheck, cramping, and other unusual symptoms. my. , which had always been regular, never came. i took a pregnancy test and it was positive.

this is the worst i have ever felt. i screamed into my shower curtain when i saw that test. even through the storm of my emotions, i knew that i had to end this pregnancy. i started googling. i found out very quickly that there are many unsafe ways to end a pregnancy. i heard from my best friend that there was a planned parenthood in the montgomery area. i wanted to see how i can get a safe abortion. i had to come back when i was far enough along to have the procedure. r the only person i told was m -- the only person i told was my rapist, and he paid for it. i wanted to go through life without thinking about what happened to me. but my rapist soon started stalking me after. i tried to get an order of protection, but our relationship did not fit the criteria.

i was helpless, hopeless, and scared. he still tries to contact me to this day. last month, alabama past an outright ban on abortion, including in cases of rape and incest, in cases like mine. doctors can be jailed for up to 99 years for performing an abortion for a woman who is going through the worst trauma life, a woman who is not emotionally, physically, financially, mentally ready to be pregnant. that if ick, i know had not had access to my abortion, i would have ended my life. that is what is at stake in alabama right now. we know that what is happening in alabama will stay there. it will go to the supreme court, and the ability of all people to

make their own decisions about their own bodies will be at stake. congressman ryan, how are you going to expand access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion, to ensure people like me have access to care, no matter what? [applause] >> i cannot even imagine the amount of courage it would take to stand up and say what you just said. [applause] >> the basics, we are going to repeal the hyde amendment to

make sure everybody has access, regardless of what zip code they live in, or what their paystub looks like, so that anyone who is in the situation you are in will be able to do what you did. i think that is critically important. also, continuing to fund these programs that give these resources to expand coverage in communities that would not otherwise have it. that means organizations like planned parenthood. sometimes, as we all know, they may the the only kind of women's health care that someone can get. we see hospitals closing around the country, people reducing services all over the country. having robust funding for these issues, these programs, is it essential. the local governments many times do not have it. the state governments do. in alabama, ohio, we have some of the worst laws.

know that i am deeply committed to this. you have inspired me today. legislatively, but what you just did is amazing. i will share this story, because i think it is important to cut through everything. that this inay many ways is about us winning elections. i try and be a pretty practical person. how do we cut through? we have got to win elections. we have to figure out how to bring the country together. what trump has done, and mike politick inay they alabama is how do we continue to divide people?

who is black, white, gay, straight, trans, this, that, the north, from the south, just divide. look at what has happened because of our division. we have to come together around a really big agenda to say everybody who is hurting, who is getting screwed right now in the political process has to come together. i hope to be the kind of president that can carry your message into the rust belt and tell stories like the one you told to let people know exactly why these issues are really important for people, and women in particular, and bring people together around building america 2.0. what do we want this country to look like? what do we want our kids and grandkids to grow up into?

america 2.0 respects what you are talking about. i'm committed to doing that for you and all of the other women in this country. we can make it happen if we get ourselves united with a brand -- that saysis is you are archaic in the way you treat women, the way -- it is textbook chauvinism. president, is he is so we all have to live inside of his ego. that is obviously a very dangerous place for a lot of people. rule, makinghe gag it illegal to talk about something that is legal. that is bizarre. [applause] bow to you. >> thank you so much, congressman. it has been a pleasure having you today. thank you for being here.

>> thank you. >> one more time for the congressman and our wonderful tory seller -- storyteller, samantha. [applause] >> thank you for pushing through. it is a long road to 2020. every day counts. our presence is our power. next up is congressman seth moulton. a former marine corps officer representing massachusetts sixth congressional district. [applause] >> welcome to our stage. >> it is an honor to be here. >> we will jump right in.

you are focusing a lot of your campaign on foreign policy. we know that president trump has done a lot to reduce access to reproductive healthcare all across the globe. how would you not only repeal the harm he has done, but expand access across the world? >> one of the first things trump did when he came into office was put in place the gag rule that americans from going to any health care organization period that in some way supports abortion, a woman's right to choose. that affects millions of people worldwide who are not only trying to get abortions, but all the other healthcare services these organizations provide. that is not american leadership, it is not american values, and it would stop on day one in my administration. [applause] >> that is really just undoing the harm.

we need to go farther than that. women's health care should be a right that we promote. women's rights should be something we promote. women's rights should be something that we invest in. we have to be investing more money in development in foreign and the kind of organizations that provide these basic rights to women across the globe. it is not the reason to do it, but this is a great economic investment, as well. there have in a lot of development studies that show you get a better return on foreign investment dollars for investing in women than men. [applause] it is smart policy, it is the right policy, it represents our values. fundamentally, we have to get back to a country that says the example across -- sets the example across the globe, provide what we have always provided in history.

one of the things i saw when i went to iraq that was most striking was iraqis would volunteer to work for us at great risk to their lives just because they knew a little bit about what america stood for. just because they knew a little bit of what america stood for. even though they lived in a country that had a ministry of information to tell them the opposite. our values were so strong that they pervaded that. they got through the ministry of information. and sort of proceeded trump fox news, but that is another thing. they could reach young men and women in a country like iraq. we are not doing that today under trump. we are doing the opposite. that's not the kind of leadership we need from the white house. [applause]

following up on that, would your plan include repealing trump's gag rule? >> absolutely. >> the massachusetts state legislature is considering the rowe act. it would preven protect equitabe access to abortion. what do you have to say to lawmakers considering this bill, including your government? >> lawmakers in massachusetts continue to lead the way. i'm glad to be from a state that has led the nation on marriage equality, healthcare, and we need to continue leading the nation on women's rights. let's keep going, let's go farther. [applause] >> i have a relative, we all refer to her as on sheila -- and

she let she worked at the gent -- aunt sheila. she has gone all the same promotions at the same time and he is making a lot more money. she fought this case in court for seven or nine years. she got castigated almost every single day at work. she ultimately one that case. ruleal electric has a named after her. atwere talking about this thanksgiving dinner. what an amazing leader sheila is, and how good it is we are from a country that has come a long way from that time. she jumped in and said a long

way, but not far enough. [applause] introduce aike to whoer of the audience works as a project manager in iowa. she is a planned parenthood volunteer leader and a volunteer for iowa abortion access fund. >> thank you for being here. >> it is an honor to be here. >> i'm from des moines, iowa. i grew up in a conservative religious household in a small town in iowa. i struggled with my mental health for as long as i can remember. i have been diagnosed with an eating disorder, depression, and anxiety. i attempted suicide when i was just 12 years old. my mental health is now a priority. i will do whatever i need to protect it. when i found out two years ago

that i was pregnant, recently single, one week into a new job, alone in a new city, there was no question with what i would do. my very first thought was that i wanted to die. my next was that i needed to have an abortion. risking my recovery and giving up everything i had worked for was not an option. i put my mental health first. i had my abortion when i was seven weeks. about one year ago, iowa passed a law that would ban abortions the moment a fetal heartbeat is detected. most women not even knowing they are pregnant by then. thankfully in january, a state --ge ruled the law against was against iowa's constitution. those against abortion rights have continued to keep pushing the ban. they attempted to change the

language in our state constitution earlier this year. iowa lawmakers would have forced me to carry my pregnancy to term. a woman struggling with an eating disorder, suicide ideation, depression, and anxiety. i represent countless individuals whose life includes an abortion story. the reason a person chooses to personal ands is private. the fact that some are unable to access care is a public concern. when i need an abortion, i have so many privileges. i have the privilege of a flexible work schedule, private health insurance, the privilege of financial stability, a working car to carry me across state lines if i needed it. i have a privilege of a supportive network. there are millions who do not have those things. an abortion is not a privilege.

to continue too expand access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion, to ensure all people have access to care no matter what? [applause] >> i want to thank you for your courage in sharing that story. there is so much courage wrapped up in all that you shared. we talk about courage -- i actually talk a lot about courage and politics. why do people not believe in climate change, basic rights, i for only been in congress five years. my observation is most of my colleagues are pretty smart, they don't have courage. you have a lot of courage.

[applause] through somet walk of the things i would do. first of all, we have to repeal the hyde amendment. it goes to the heart of what you are talking about. you shared some of the struggles you have had, and you said you have more privileges than many people in america who need the same health care. that is what the hyde amendment is all about. access tog healt women's health care, for women who cannot go to another state, who cannot pay for a more expensive doctor. i cosponsored a bill in congress. it is something that would be a priority for me if i'm the next president. the second thing we need to do is work on winning elections, but not just the pregnancy. winning elections up and down the ballot at the state and local level.

what happened in iowa, we need to make sure it does not happen anywhere else. and ultimately at the federal level, to ensure these protections in congress. that is something i worked on very hard in 2018. 2016, it the lesson in was not enough to be a good congressman for your district. we have to change the people in congress. i had an effort to focus on key house districts that we needed to flip across the country to win back control of the house of representatives. i focused on veterans. they do particularly well in some of these districts. we also have leaders like abigail spanberger, mike sherrill, chrissie houlihan, a whole group of people across the country. many of them are women veterans who helped us take exit house. of it withabout half our candidates support. we need to do that everywhere up

and down the ballot. i would make it a political priority as the next president. [applause] >> we need to win the white house. rightt we can ensure the judicial nominees. not just in the supreme court, but everywhere else. the fourth thing is a few weeks ago, i stood in front of the supreme court at the planned parenthood rally. when i had a brief moment to speak, i got up and said "here's a simple fact, if you lie in a confirmation hearing, you should not be a supreme court justice on the highest court in the land." [applause] >> it is also why if you obstruct us justice, you should not be president of the united states.

[applause] not only the call for impeachment proceedings, but to vote for it back in 2017 in the house of representatives. regardless of the politics, and i know it may be tricky, but it is the right thing to do. no one in america is above the law. the last thing i wanted to share is a few weeks ago, i apparently became the first presidential candidate in american history to share my own story in dealing with mental health. i decided that if i'm applying for the top leadership position in the country, i should lead up to that mantra to lead by example. i have seen so many fellow veterans deal with poster medic stress coming back from iraq and afghanistan. i have been a consistent advocate and made a commitment to continue my own health care

even as a member of congress. i never shared the story of dealing with post-traumatic stress myself, like you just shared your mental health story. so i decided to share it. i talked about some the things i saw, in particular, a day when we were heading north towards young iraqi boy was accidentally shot and lying in the middle-of-the-road thriving in pain. how that image haunted me when i came home. how hard it was to find the courage to go and talk to someone, to admit i had post-traumatic stress myself and needed help. i went and saw a therapist. it changed my life. when i thinkose about the little boy. i will remember his image to the day i die, but it is not something i cannot control anymore. i think is a good thing that i

found the strength to get through that. the first time i have to make a decision involving the lives of young americans and live with the consequences will not be when i'm sitting in a situation at the white house. i think that makes me a better presidential candidate. it took me years in politics to get to the point where i had the courage to do what you did here today and share that story of being confronted with mental health challenge, dealing with it, and moving on. thank you so much for your courage today. >> thank you both so much for sharing your stories with us today. [applause] >> it is very late, it has been

a long day, but thank you for staying with us. se puede. candidate is colorado senior senator michael bennet. please help me welcome senator bennett. [applause] >> welcome. ofyou are a committed group people. thank you. you held on until the last person. >> thank you for being with us today. it is great to have you here. i'm going to jump into my question. some of -- majority leader mitch mcconnell announced a record leader of 123 extremist abortion

judges to the federal judiciary for lifetime appointments. some of the nominees you have voted to confirm. the right to abortion, and many of the rights at risk, what would u do as president to bring our courts back to protecting our rights and freedoms? >> i would not appoint a judge that would not uphold roe v. wade at any level. the supreme court, court of appeals, or the district court judge. i think it is really important for us to understand what has happened over the last 10 years, where mitch mcconnell has been relentlessly strategic, the republicans have been relentlessly strategic. have anti-choice factions been relentlessly strategic grade we have not been as strategic as they have. say we should be

as malevolent, cynical, or as uncaring as mitch mcconnell. any of never argue that us should do what he did to merrick garland, and to win the presidency for donald trump. we do need to be as strategic as he has been. i'm not saying you have not been, we have not been. the american people are paying a price for that as a result. i'm deeply dissatisfied about that. i appreciate very much you raising it. that's what i would do. as manyt obama had vacancies at the end of his first term then at the beginning of his first term. president trump has built more vacancies than any president in the history of america, because together,wn the road democrats and republicans, of destroying the advise and consent mechanism in the senate by dropping it from six votes -- 60 votes to 51 votes.

it is the quality of these judges. many of these judges are ideological, not qualified for these lifetime appointments. it is my hope that at some point, i don't think it will some point, but at we can restore the advise and consent process in the senate so that it is not the degrading, disheartening partisan exercise that it has become. the american people are fed up with it. [applause] >> you just mentioned the senate. can you share with us your priorities, specifically more information about the legislation you have introduced, or championed, to advanced sexual reproductive health care for all? >> what i have been trying to do is get universal healthcare in this country, and reproductive healthcare, i view that as part of universal health care. my main idea is something called medicare x, a true public option. reproductive health care would

be part of that bill. it is part of that bill. getink it is critical we this done. we are the only industrialized country in the world that does not have universal health care. it is not a surprise, you know that i don't think bernie we- bernie's proposal is how should go. if we had no existing health care system, medicare for all would make a lot of sense. there is an existing health care system. the likelihood of 180 million people who get their insurance through their private employer, giving up their insurance for this new system is very low. it's another way of saying we are never going to get universal health care if that is what we are fighting. instead, let's give families instead let's give people the choice to pick what's right for them. if they want a public option, let them have a public option.

it would be like medicare for all. if you are lucky enough to have insurance, keep your insurance. there are millions of people in this country -- i don't need to tell people in this room -- thousands of people in my state, many of them single women living in rural areas who are not covered by medicaid because they are not poor enough, but cannot afford health insurance. millions of people. we need to get them insurance and i think the best way to do it is through a public option. [applause] senator, our final question is from a member of our audience. susan johnson, she's over here. she's from cape elizabeth, maine. in her retirement she has dedicated herself to fighting for abortion access for mainers and those across the country. fights very active in the against brett kavanaugh's confirmation to the supreme court. thank you for your work, susan. [applause] >> hello, senator bennett.

>> hello, susan. my name is susan johnson, and i live in cape elizabeth, maine. i was 17 when my world turned upside down. i got pregnant. it seems like a lifetime ago, and it was. 56 years. it was before roe v. wade. it was before the pill was invented. it was before birth control was legal. it was the dark ages for a woman's right to make her own decisions about pregnancy. my boyfriend offered to get married. he said he would quit school, get a job helping his father on his soft regret, and we would somehow manage. he was a good guy, but the thought of being a mother plunged me into deep depression and despair. myn we told my parents,

mother threw me out of the house. relented and she got scared because i was so depressed. i didn't know where to go for help, but my mother did. it turned out there was a secret network of women helping women. my mother, pretending she was the pregnant one, told a neighbor. she knew someone who knew someone. there was a man in a small coal mining town in pennsylvania who performed abortions. she heard he was a doctor. this brave man had decided that abortion was the right thing to do to help women and girls. he did this at great risk to himself. remember, abortion was against the law. his name was dr. robert spencer. he saved the lives of thousands of people, including my own. i can't thank him enough.

my dad drove me to pennsylvania. he paid for it. i never asked how much it cost, and we never spoke of it again. and representing my generation. many of those women were not as lucky as i was. they died. i am their voice. whether you decide to have an abortion or become apparent, no one should be denied health care during pregnancy. care,ny of us were denied not by our insurance companies, but by our governments, by the shame and stigma our society placed upon us. i am a proud mother and grandmother of two girls. i don't want them to ever be faced with anything like what i went through. so, senator bennett, how are you sexualo expand access to

and reproductive health care, including abortion, to ensure that people have access to care no matter what? [applause] >> thank you, susan. i have not been here all day, but i can't think of a more fitting way to end this program then with what you just asked and with the statement you just made. i want to thank you for your on behalf of your generation and americans everywhere, including my daughter who this year is 14 years old. thank you for that. [applause] i will do everything i can, as i mentioned earlier, i will not

repeat the stuff on universal coverage and how we should get we need toi think overturn the hyde amendment, clearly, and the democratic party is clearly there now, to end discrimination. we are living in a state where people commonly, from the senate, introduce bills that cut billion when800 50% the births that are paid for in south carolina are paid for by medicare. where do these people expect people to have their children? it is so cruel. and in the context we are in right now, it seems to me that it is always the most vulnerable people these people are lashing out at. they are letting everybody else take care of themselves. if you are rural, if you are poor, if you are a person of color, if you are a woman, they are coming after you, and we have to fight back against that.

my first election -- i had never run for office in my life. i had a 3% name recognition in a purple state, colorado, during the rise of the tea party, and it was a terrible year to run as a democrat in my state, a swing state in the middle of the country, and iran on the issues you are talking about today and i will do it every one of my elections because i think it is so important for us to live in a just and fair society. these decisions can't be left to chance. these decisions can't be left to whether you are lucky enough to somehow not be born poor. all of america needs to come and the and support you women that went through this. my friend, i called him all the time, a great guy from canada, he barely survived his reelection but he did. one of the things he said is my daughter is having to fight for

rights her mother never had to fight for because her grandmother won those rights. [applause] guys arehy what you doing here, spending all day in this windowless room, is so incredibly important, and anything i can do to help you, i will. thank you. >> thank you, senator. [applause] ♪ >> give your neighbor a high-five, we made it. let's give it up one more time for the senator. let's give it up for all the brave storytellers. [applause] and let's give one more big round of applause, because at the end of the day, there's only one group of people that will decide who the leader of this country is, and that's us, am i right? [applause]

all right, my friends. thank you for being part of this event. we will see you out on the street. please continue to stay loud on this, we need to hear from you, to continue to share your story. it's about people, and we are going to win. [applause] >> thank you all. >> have a great evening. if you need information, you can find registration, and we are getting ready to go out and continue the fight. take care, everybody. >> about! [applause] announcer: the trump administration can partially defund planned parenthood. the white house plan would cut almost $60 million in taxpayer funding to the organization, which says it provides reproductive health care to 2.4 million mostly low income patients each year. planned parenthood has filed a

lawsuit against the administration's new rule. announcer: sunday at 3:00 p.m. eastern, democratic presidential candidate senator bernie sanders hosts a town hall at clinton college in rock hill, south carolina. watch it on c-span, c-span.org, or listen on the free c-span radio app. ♪ announcer: c-span's "washington journal," live every day with news and policy issues that impact you. coming up sunday morning, conservative radio talk show host kevin jackson will join us to discuss campaign 2020 and president trump's reelection strategy. then we will mark the 50th anniversary of the stonewall riots and their impact on the lgbtq movement with san francisco state university history professor mark steyn, followed by new york times louise, pierre antoine who will join us to discuss key

issues facing transgender americans. be sure to watch "washington journal" live sunday morning. join the discussion. announcer: before departing for camp david where he was to spend the weekend, president trump spoke to reporters about iran and plans for ice together into port illegal immigrants in at least 10 cities. this is about 20 minutes. >> so we are about to go to camp david, we will have a lot of work to do. i want to say the stock market is on pace to have its best year since i guess over 50 years, and the dow is on pace to have its best year and 80