Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3134, Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3504, Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act; And for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeLauro. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule and the underlying bill. With this bill, the majority has declared war on the health and well-being of millions of women.

Planned Parenthood serves 2.7 million Americans every year with lifesaving services, like pap tests, breast exams, screenings for sexually transmitted infections. For many low-income families, Planned Parenthood is their only option.

The majority claims that other clinics can take up the slack, but just listen to Dr. Mark DeFrancesco, the president of the American Congress of OB/GYNs: ``If Planned Parenthood went away, there are a good number of patients just in my service area that no longer will have a doctor. If they start calling my office, it is going to be `we could take you, but it might be 2, 3 months down the road.' And if they call other places, it might be `we can't even take you.' ''

This bill creates chaos, and in that chaos, people's lives will be put at risk. This bill is spiteful; it is mean spirited, and it is cruel. It tells millions of low-income Americans: Forget your health. You can just die.

Enough is enough. I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill.

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