WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.569 --> 00:00:04.109 Now something that's really important to me and my 2 00:00:04.139 --> 00:00:07.619 audience is women's health. And recently I was 3 00:00:07.699 --> 00:00:11.829 shocked to learn that pads, tampons and other 4 00:00:11.829 --> 00:00:16.309 menstrual products. Are taxed as luxury goods in 5 00:00:16.309 --> 00:00:20.479 40 states. And I don't know anyone who has a period 6 00:00:20.479 --> 00:00:23.369 that thinks it's a luxury. Because it's- I think that's fair 7 00:00:23.369 --> 00:00:25.189 to say, Michelle would agree with you on that. Yes, 8 00:00:25.369 --> 00:00:28.099 because it's something that's part of our everyday 9 00:00:28.099 --> 00:00:30.719 lives. Right. And is really crucial to our health as 10 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:34.649 women. Right. And so, I want to know why do these 11 00:00:34.689 --> 00:00:38.379 items continue to be taxed. I have to tell you, I have no 12 00:00:38.379 --> 00:00:42.749 idea why states would tax these as luxury 13 00:00:42.789 --> 00:00:45.519 items. I suspect it's cuz men were making the laws 14 00:00:45.519 --> 00:00:49.139 Yeah. When those tax were passed, and I think it's 15 00:00:49.139 --> 00:00:51.729 pretty sensible for [ Barack Obama ] Women in those 16 00:00:51.729 --> 00:00:54.529 states that you just mentioned, to work to get those 17 00:00:54.529 --> 00:00:56.869 taxes removed. Those aren't federal taxes that are 18 00:00:57.269 --> 00:01:00.229 imposed. Those are state taxes, state laws, so it'd be 19 00:01:00.299 --> 00:01:03.349 governors and state legislatures who would have to 20 00:01:03.349 --> 00:01:07.569 reverse those. But this is, raises a broader 21 00:01:07.569 --> 00:01:09.369 question that I've been working on since I came into 22 00:01:09.369 --> 00:01:11.919 office which was How do we make sure that everybody 23 00:01:11.919 --> 00:01:16.159 has decent healthcare, preventive care, and women 24 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:17.929 in particular have the kind of healthcare that they 25 00:01:17.929 --> 00:01:20.139 need? So when I passed the Affordable Care Act, 26 00:01:20.139 --> 00:01:23.389 Obamacare, which sometimes gets all distorted 27 00:01:23.389 --> 00:01:25.729 because of politics, but it's actually a pretty simple 28 00:01:25.729 --> 00:01:28.829 proposition. And that is if you don't have health 29 00:01:28.829 --> 00:01:32.959 insurance on your job, Then you shouldn't be 30 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:36.799 without coverage, because if you get hurt, if you get hit 31 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:40.989 by a car, if you have an illness, it could take 32 00:01:40.989 --> 00:01:43.299 away everything that you have. And you should just be 33 00:01:43.299 --> 00:01:46.629 focused on getting well. So, it allows you go on an 34 00:01:46.629 --> 00:01:50.579 exchange, sign up on healthcare. gov. You can get. 35 00:01:50.999 --> 00:01:53.549 Affordable coverage for young people who are healthy 36 00:01:53.549 --> 00:01:56.079 typically costs less than your cell phone. But what we 37 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:58.339 also focused on is making sure that everybody who has 38 00:01:58.339 --> 00:02:02.419 insurance, from whatever source can't 39 00:02:02.419 --> 00:02:04.029 be discriminated against because they've got a 40 00:02:04.029 --> 00:02:06.979 preexisting condition. That women can't be charge 41 00:02:07.289 --> 00:02:11.479 more than men for insurance coverage 42 00:02:12.029 --> 00:02:17.459 That pregnancy isn't treated as an illness, that 43 00:02:17.459 --> 00:02:22.729 contraception is part of a standard 44 00:02:22.729 --> 00:02:25.109 package of 45 00:02:25.109 --> 00:02:29.159 care that you receive because, you know, the basic 46 00:02:29.159 --> 00:02:33.909 idea is that women should. Not be at a disadvantage 47 00:02:33.909 --> 00:02:36.239 in the healthcare system and this is just one more 48 00:02:36.239 --> 00:02:39.559 example of it which I confess I was not aware of until 49 00:02:39.589 --> 00:02:42.771 you brought up to my attention. Really? Yes. Wow! Well 50 00:02:42.771 --> 00:02:45.481 now you know and now many other people know. Yes, 51 00:02:45.481 --> 00:02:45.911 absolutely.