The California Democrat revealed on the floor that she had an abortion after a doctor said her baby had fallen from the uterus and could not survive.
The revelation came during a heated debate on whether to strip Planned Parenthood of its federal funding.
Speier got upset after Republican Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) attacked the procedure in graphic detail, while arguing against Planned Parenthood's decision to perform abortions.
"For you to stand on this floor and to suggest as you have that somehow this is a procedure that is either welcomed or done cavalierly or done without any thought is preposterous," Speier said.
There was a hushed silence, then applause after Speier's comments.
However, she didn't win the debate. The House voted to cut funding for Planned Parenthood, but that could be undone in the Senate or vetoed by /*President Barak Obama*/.