Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011

Floor Speech

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Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong opposition to the amendment offered by Congressman PENCE.

Congressman PENCE'S amendment is a threat to women's health. It would prohibit Planned Parenthood from receiving any federal funds. As a result, Planned Parenthood would be disqualified from receiving Title X family-planning grants and other health related program funds.

Much of the cuts in H.R. 1 target the most vulnerable among us--the poor, children, young adults, and now women. We are a diverse country with good people on all sides of an issue, including abortion. I know this amendment strikes at a favorite target of the anti-choice group. Sadly, in pushing their anti-choice agenda, tens of thousands of women in our country will be denied health care services that have nothing to do with abortion.

The vast majority of Planned Parenthood's medical services are related to contraception, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, cancer screening, and other services like pregnancy tests and infertility treatment. Abortion services comprise only 3 percent of the medical care Planned Parenthood provides. Federal law already prohibits Title X funds from being used for abortion services. It is important to point out that there are no known violations of this law. Despite any claims to the contrary, the Pence amendment is clearly a direct attack on women's preventive health care.

Congressman PENCE goes out of his way to name specific Planned Parenthood entities in his amendment that should not be funded, including Planned Parenthood Hawaii. I would like to share with the Congressman and this body my views on how Planned Parenthood Hawaii has helped women and their families.

In Hawaii, there are three Planned Parenthood centers, one in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, one in Kahului on the island of Maui, and one in Kailua-Kona on the island of Hawaii. Together, those three centers:

Served 7,835 patients.

Provided 2,582 cervical cancer screenings that detected 321 abnormal results that required further diagnosis and treatment.

Provided 2,705 breast exams.

Conducted 3,346 tests for chlamydia--the leading cause of preventable infertility--that resulted in 172 positive results and follow-up treatment.

By eliminating funding for the Title X Family Planning Program, the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Kailua-Kona may have to close its doors. That center is one of the only dedicated sexual and reproductive health clinics on the island. The centers on Maui and Oahu would be forced to reduce their clinic hours.

The Pence amendment eliminates a safety net program that provides family planning services and lifesaving preventive care to 3 million Americans every year. I urge my colleagues to join me in opposition to this amendment.

Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much).

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