We March for Life

Statement

Dear friends,

The battle to protect the lives of the unborn was catapulted to the front pages of newspapers and splashed across TV screens this past summer when shocking videos revealed Planned Parenthood's chilling practice of selling aborted children's organs.

Instead of outright denying that these practices are taking place, Planned Parenthood deflected and attempted to make the case to the American people that abortions are just a small portion of the range of services they offer. However, the numbers don't lie. In 2013 alone, Planned Parenthood, our nation's largest abortion provider, administered 327,653 abortions. At that rate, Planned Parenthood is performing an abortion every three minutes.

Among Congress's very first acts of 2016 was to put a bill on the President's desk that would have de-funded Planned Parenthood. It is well past time that Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers be cut off from all taxpayer funding until they stop performing abortions. Unsurprisingly, the President vetoed the bill. However, that will not deter my efforts. Namely, I introduced H.R. 3496, the Women's Public Health and Safety Act to give states the flexibility to exclude abortion providers from the federal-state Medicaid program. Some states have attempted to take this step, but have been forced to fund Planned Parenthood by the federal government. You and I can agree that states should be empowered with the ability to decide whether Planned Parenthood is right for them. I'm proud to report that this bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 236-193 on September 29, 2015.

The Women's Public Health and Safety Act is a good first step towards reining in Planned Parenthood, but there is still much work to be done. In October, I was appointed by the Speaker to serve on the Select Panel on Infant Lives. We plan to investigate fetal tissue sales by Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers and to examine the gruesome practice of abortions for profit. The American people deserve to know who is profiting from fetal tissue sales, how large this industry has become, and how often women's lives are put in danger. Through thoughtful and diligent investigation, we will bring the industry's grizzly practices into the public eye and determine what laws may have been broken.

As we approach the 43rd anniversary of Roe vs. Wade on January 22nd, millions of Americans are tuned-in to the pro-life conversation as they never have been before, giving those of us in the pro-life movement an opportunity, the likes of which we have not seen in decades. If you plan to be in Washington D.C. for the annual March for Life, step in from the cold, grab a cup of hot chocolate and a sweet treat and join my team for a Pro-Life open house to discuss everything going on in our movement and how, together, we can use our voices is defense of the voiceless, and help mothers find hope and non-violent solutions to difficult or unplanned pregnancies.

Source