It isn’t all that often that this writer actually tunes into House of Representatives debate on the floor. Plain and simply she has better things to do. However, today, one of the most contentious questions of the year – depriving Planned Parenthood of the federal funds that trickle down to them through the states in the form of medicaid reimbursements – is being debated even if it is just for one year while the investigations into disturbing allegations brought forth by whistleblowers are conducted.
As usual when it comes to women’s health issues, there were all sorts of euphemisms and the usual vitriol and hyperbole from the left side of the aisle (there’s nothing democratic about those despots) claiming that essential women’s health services would disappear for millions of women all over the country if Planned Parenthood didn’t get these funds from the government. (The figure is actually 2% of women use Planned Parenthood for any services at all.) It was as if their speechwriters got together with all the buzz phrases on a white board and started throwing darts at them to figure out which one to put where. Specifics were hard to come by and it was very obvious that none of these people had the courage to watch the videos that started all this renewed push to defend the most defenseless among us let alone the full footage of the conversations on the videos that have been released by the Center for Medical Progress.
(Yes, editing happened, but nothing is duplicitous or false about what is revealed. PP may call the fees “reimbursement” but they are still padding the bottom line with the cash.)
The Republican side of the aisle was managed today by Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Kentucky, who was prompt with her rebuttal of the leftist talking points with actual facts. But, what was truly interesting about this particular back and forth, was the number of representatives who actually sat in the chamber while the discussion was ongoing. At least on the Republican side. Normally there’s not a single soul behind the people at the podium. Today, several people arrived early and stayed to hear all of the discussion.
Another point of great interest on the Republican side was the number of health care professionals who spoke from experience about just how needed Planned Parenthood actually is – all on the Republican side:
Rep. Larry Bucshon – physician, Indiana (His statement here.)
Rep. Renee Ellmers – nurse, North carolina (Her statement here.)
Rep. Charles Boustany – physician, Louisiana (His statement here.)
Rep. Phil Roe – physician (OB/GYN), Tennessee (His statement here.)
Rep. Brad Weinstrup, Board of Health in Ohio (His statement to be added.)
Not one such person spoke from the other side of the aisle. Not one. Largely, the speakers were a bunch of angry women who have been brainwashed into thinking that breast cancer and cervical cancer screening are a huge part of Planned Parenthood’s business – and they were not dressed appropriately, either. Yes, those screenings save lives, but they can be done by other health care entities quite easily. No one suggested withdrawing funds from women health care services, just diverting it to other providers while Planned Parenthood is under investigation by the Congress. Of course, that isn’t acceptable to the people who consider abortion on par with a sacrament.
Other notable, impassioned statements from Reps. Sean Duffy, Ted Poe and Mike Kelly. At the time of this writing, not all of the clips have been posted and will be added.
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But it was Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania who said, how did we get to this point?… Not a blob of tissue… A son or daughter of America. … This is an issue of human being to human being.
And isn’t that the essential point.
The House measure to withhold funds from Planned Parenthood for the year until Congressional investigations are complete passed before lunch 241-187 with one voting present. A strengthening of the rights of infants born alive via abortion was also passed. Now these bills go to the Senate where legislation goes to die.
