In Planned Parenthood’s first appearance before Congress since those videos emerged this summer, Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee argued that the group needs no taxpayer financing. Research facilities legally pay abortion clinics for the removal of fetal tissue, but clinics like Planned Parenthood can not profit from their sale – which Planned Parenthood denies doing.
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“What I thought we saw yesterday from the Republican majority was evidence that they don’t understand women, they certainly don’t understand women’s health and they certainly don’t understand the very programs they oversee like Medicaid”, Richards said.
Investigations conducted by several states have yet to find any wrongdoing by Planned Parenthood in the handling of fetal remains, so Republicans are getting desperate.
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) said on Wednesday that even though the Senate passed a temporary funding bill that includes funds for Planned Parenthood, lawmakers should still work to defund the organization.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., lamented what she called a “relentless campaign” by her Republican colleagues against Planned Parenthood.
Eight of the 20 Republicans who opposed the bill are up for re-election in states carried by Mitt Romney in 2012.
The bill now moves to the House where it is expected to receive a vote Wednesday afternoon.
Instead, Boehner and McConnell opted for the pragmatic route – a bipartisan measure that steers clear of the furor over Planned Parenthood and avoids the risk of a partial government shutdown – over the opposition of the most hardline conservative Republicans.
Why Planned Parenthood is at the center of the government funding fight. She said he “remains committed to keeping the government open for the people of Montana”.
Herbert’s directive to end funding to PPAU was “motivated exclusively by animus toward PPAU’s constitutionally protected, privately funded activities-specifically, PPAU’s association with providers of abortion services“, according to the complaint. The organization says in Arizona, 97% of its funding goes toward STI testing, vaccines, birth control, counseling, screenings, and other services unrelated to abortions.
The public’s opinion on abortion hasn’t changed much over the past year.
Supporters of Planned Parenthood made their case at podiums and in Annapolis. The Harvard College Democrats and Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts organized the event where students donned pink and canvassed in Harvard Square in support of the organization on Tuesday, September 29, 2015.
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“Where do you draw the line?” he asked.
