Banned Parenthood

Hat tip goes to the Family Research Council who sent me this item about the defunding of Planned Parenthood, which happened during the FY2011 budget proceedings in the U.S. House of Representatives last week. I watched some of the C-Span televised event over the three or four days. The open debate was what I imagined the Founders had in mind when they birthed this nation. 

Let us hope and pray that the Senate will get serious about the need to trim the budget and approve the Continuing Resolution before the March 4, 2011 deadline or at least by March 31st. Then Congress needs to work on the FY2012 budget, which will take an even more deliberate effort on the part of both sides of the political aisle. 

"A few more days of working the third shift, and Congress might give New York a run for its money as the "city that never sleeps." But ask House members, and some of them will tell you that these nocturnal hours agree with them. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), a good friend of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), says SpeakerJohn Boehner (R-Ohio) deserves a lot of credit for how he's managing the chamber. "It was a pleasure working around the clock last night," Miller said. "This is the way it was when I came here. This is open rule. This gives people a chance to throw up their amendments. I don't agree with them, but we can debate them and decide one way or another... I think it's encouraging." While not everyone is ready to hang an "Open 24 Hours" sign over the Capitol's door, it has given leaders the opportunity to speak up at crucial times.

 "And no time was more crucial than last night, when members took almost three hours to debate the defunding of Planned Parenthood. The exchange was passionate, fiery, and outrageous--but above all, it was necessary. Of all the 583 amendments offered to thecontinuing resolution (which set the government's budget through September), Rep. Mike Pence's #11 should have been number one on the taxpayers' list. For 41 long years, Planned Parenthood has skimmed billions of dollars off the federal budget to fund a business that exploits, aborts, and misleads women. As Congressmen Pence said, "...[T]his is not about Planned Parenthood's right to be in the abortion business... This debate is about who [funds] it... Nobody is saying that Planned Parenthood can't be the leading advocate of abortion on demand in America ... but why do I have to pay for it?" Democrats fired back that Planned Parenthood offers more to women than abortion. But if those services are as vital as people say they are, Planned Parenthood will find a way to fund them. Organizations do charitable work all the time without the government's help. And unlike Planned Parenthood, 99.9% of them probably haven't been caught on tape encouraging child sex abuse. If thousands of nonprofits can perform quality community outreach without $363 million in taxpayer funds, so can Planned Parenthood.

 "Unfortunately, several liberals did not agree and instead slammed the amendment as a "war on women." But the real war on women is being waged by Democrats who view abortion as a type of birth control. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wisc.) actually stood on the House floor and said that abortion was a better option for unplanned babies than a life "eating Ramen noodles" or "mayonnaise sandwiches." Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.), who is a physician, took offense. "We treat green turtle eggs better than we treat children in the womb," he shot back. "What about those who suffer from sexual assault?" asked Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), "Where do they go?" Given Lila Rose's latest videos, anywhere but Planned Parenthood! Their clinics are not only the most dangerous places on earth for a child, as Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) said, but they are also the safest havens for sexual predators. The bottom is this: if Congress needs to spend three hours debating the integrity of an organization, should we really be funding it in the first place?

 "Ultimately ...  the House passed the Pence amendment this afternoon 240-185 with strong bipartisan support! But now is not the time to let up! Please contact your Representatives and thank them for voting to protect women and children. Then, call your Senators and insist they do the same. Instead of resting, our team will also work on the next phase: defunding Planned Parenthood in the 2012 budget. Momentum is on the side of life, and this is no time to put on the brakes! ..."