Republicans and Democrats sparred over funding for Planned Parenthood on Tuesday, using a House hearing to spotlight deeply personal questioning and testimony over abortion and health care.
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Richards also faced criticism regarding her apology posted online after the videos surfaced, with Republicans accusing her of failing to fully apologize for the content of the videos.
“The sands of time should blow over the Capitol dome before we give them one more dime of taxpayer dollars”, Congressman Trent Franks said on MSNBC.
CECILE RICHARDS: The outrageous accusations leveled against Planned Parenthood based on heavily doctored videos are offensive and categorically untrue.
The battle over the divisive Planned Parenthood issue helped spur the resignation ofHouse Speaker John Boehner, who was under fire from the right-wing of his caucus to risk a shutdown rather than fund the nation’s largest abortion provider. It received a total of 1.3 billion in revenue in the most recently reported year, 2013.
“I think it’s incredibly important that we don’t let misinformation steer our political process”, said Bart Helms, a 34-year-old Fort Wayne resident who attended the rally.
Last week, Democrats led a filibuster of a Senate stopgap measure that would have blocked money to Planned Parenthood.
“It’s hard to think of a scenario where Boehner’s leaving makes it better”, he added.
He accused Planned Parenthood of spending millions on travel, parties and salaries while cutting back on certain health care services.
Recent polls say Planned Parenthood is more favorable to the American public than the GOP.
The measure, which continues to fund Planned Parenthood, passed the Senate 78-20 on Wednesday.
In response, Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit in federal court, requesting that the judge declare the governor’s actions a violation of the organization’s constitutional rights to free speech and due process, given the fact that the Center for Medical Progress’ allegations have not been proven.
Supporters of defunding the group point to a video released in July by anti-abortion activists that appears to show Planned Parenthood officials attempting to sell fetal tissue.
Planned Parenthood clinicians are seen in the videos speaking matter-of-factly about the removal and alleged sale of organs from aborted fetuses.
Blum had five minutes to question Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards and asked her about how the federal funding is used in an exchange where they often talked over each other.
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51 percent of those polled by Pew say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. “We’re having an argument that’s never going to end about abortion, but we’re proposing to proceed in a way that will have collateral consequences that compromises … women’s health“.
