|
Washington
–
Following
Senate
Majority
Leader
Mitch
McConnell’s
(R-KY)
announcement
of
a
working
group,
today
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
joined
Senator
Joni
Ernst
(R-IA)
and
22
cosponsors
to
introduced
legislation
protecting
women’s
health
and
defunding
Planned
Parenthood,
S.1881. Senate
Majority
Leader
Mitch
McConnell
stated
that
the
Senate
will
vote
on
this
legislation
before
departing
for
an
extended
state
work
period
next
month.
In
addition
to
defunding
Planned
Parenthood,
this
legislation
ensures
the
preservation
of
Federal
funding
for
women’s
health
services
including
relevant
diagnostic
laboratory
and
radiology
services,
well-child
care,
prenatal
and
postpartum
care,
immunization,
family
planning
services
including
contraception,
sexually
transmitted
disease
testing,
cervical
and
breast
cancer
screenings,
and
referrals.
Funds
no
longer
available
to
Planned
Parenthood
will
continue
to
be
offered
to
other
eligible
entities
to
provide
such
women’s
health
care
services.
“All
life
is
precious,
and
to
see
it
treated
so
callously
by
Planned
Parenthood
should
make
every
American’s
heart
ache,”
said
Senator
Scott.
“Taxpayer
dollars
should
not
be
funding
anything
remotely
related
to
such
activities,
and
I
am
proud
to
join
Senator
Ernst
and
my
other
colleagues
as
we
take
this
necessary
step
towards
defunding
Planned
Parenthood.”
“As
a
mother
and
grandmother,
I
find
this
footage
of
Planned
Parenthood’s
role
in
the
harvesting
of
the
organs
of
unborn
babies
morally
reprehensible
and
vile,”
said
Senator
Ernst.
“The
American
people
are
horrified
by
these
videos
as
well.
Simply
put,
this
legislation
ensures
that
funding
for
women’s
health
is
protected
and
that
taxpayer
dollars
will
not
go
to
Planned
Parenthood.”
About
the
Legislation:
- Prohibits
federal
funding
of
Planned
Parenthood
Federation
of
America
or
any
of
its
affiliate
organizations.
- Protects
federal
funding
for
health
services
for
women,
including
diagnostic
laboratory
and
radiology
services,
well-child
care,
prenatal
and
postnatal
care,
immunizations,
cervical
and
breast
cancer
screenings
and
more.
- Ensures
there
is
no
reduction
in
overall
federal
funding
available
to
support
women’s
health
Cosponsors
of
the
bill
include
Senators
John
Barrasso
(WY),
Roy
Blunt
(MO),
John
Boozman
(AR),
Richard
Burr
(NC)
Dan
Coats
(IN),
Tom
Cotton
(AR)
John
Cornyn
(TX),
Ted
Cruz
(TX),
Steve
Daines
(MT),
Mike
Enzi
(WY),
Deb
Fischer
(NE),
James
Inhofe
(OK),
Johnny
Isakson
(GA),
Ron
Johnson
(WI),
James
Lankford
(OK),
John
McCain
(AZ)
Mitch
McConnell
(KY),
Jerry
Moran
(KS),
Rand
Paul
(KY),
David
Perdue
(GA),
Pat
Roberts
(KS),
Ben
Sasse
(NE),
and
John
Thune
(SD). |