She also said the videos that were released this summer have led to increased threats against clinics. The central issue is a disagreement between parties over the funding of Planned Parenthood. “Health care should not be a political bargaining chip”.
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Conservatives and many Republicans say the videos, made by abortion foes posing as private purchasers of fetal organs, show Planned Parenthood has broken federal laws including a ban on for-profit fetal tissue sales.
Richards responded that Planned Parenthood has a lobbying arm to try to change a few of the laws in states that have restrictions on policies and procedures that Planned Parenthood supports.
It’s generally accepted that this attempt to defund Planned Parenthood is simply their vehicle and it’s likely to backfire.
Another representative came to the Planned Parenthood president’s defense.
Republicans on the House oversight and government reform committee pounced.
“Every dollar you get from federal funds means you don’t necessarily have to allocate for these particular assets”.
The money helps clinics in Billings, Missoula, Great Falls and Helena provide services like birth control, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer screening, Stahl said.
“Right, we have different kinds of arrangements depending on the state to refer women for mammograms”, she said.
The event was to support Planned Parenthood and raise awareness of the health care they provide outside of abortions.
It is also the largest abortion provider in the country, making it a primary target for group’s seeking to overturn the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion throughout the country. Stahl said the group uses no public funds to finance those abortions.
The video had this caption: “Rep Trey Gowdy (R-SC) winks at Planned Parenthood Pres Cecile Richards during today’s Hse Oversight Cmte hearing”.
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But hardline conservative Republicans are denouncing their party’s leaders in the House and Senate for backing away from the removal of federal funding from Planned Parenthood, in order to make sure that a shutdown doesn’t take place. I always enjoy talking to the people who disagree with us.
