Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Ms. HIRONO. Madam President, before I begin my remarks, I wish to take a moment to express my condolences to the families of those affected by last week's shooting in Colorado Springs, including the family of Jennifer Markovsky. Jennifer grew up in Waianae, HI. She was killed this past Friday at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado in a senseless act of violence. I spoke recently to Jennifer's husband Paul to express my condolences to him, their two young children, her parents, and her ohana.

Madam President, I wish to speak on an issue of grave importance to all women of the United States; that is, the Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. One of my first forays into politics happened when as a young woman I wrote to my elected officials and asked them about their views on a woman's right to choose. At that time--1970--Hawaii was considering a bill that would legalize abortion. In fact, Hawaii became the first State to do so for our residents.

Choice to me is not something that should be restricted, whether it is the right to choose to end a pregnancy or the right to access birth control. Having control over one's health care decisions is a fundamental right. When a woman has access to a full range of health care services, she has control over her life and her future. Access to birth control and other reproductive options means that women have real control over their economic and personal security.

This latest attack on women's reproductive rights by defunding Planned Parenthood is a misguided attempt to demonize Planned Parenthood. There is currently no Federal funding for abortion services--a policy that already hinders the ability of lower income women to access a full range of reproductive options. Some States such as Hawaii recognize how fundamentally unfair this is and provide State funding for abortion services.

Limiting the ability of women to access health care services at Planned Parenthood clinics across the country is just one part of the Republican anti-women agenda. They refuse to fund day care, family leave or early childhood education. In fact, one Republican health care proposal would allow insurance companies to eliminate maternity care. What is going on here? On the one hand Republicans want to deny women access to reproductive care, on the other they also want to punish women for having children by not funding programs that support families.

I repeat, Federal law already prohibits family planning funding from being used for abortion services by anyone, including by Planned Parenthood. So the measure before us today does nothing more than deny millions of women across the country access to birth control and other health care services that are not only not prohibited but which are perfectly legal.

The real work of Planned Parenthood is preventive health care services. Birth control, STD screenings, and well women exams are the bulk of services provided by Planned Parenthood and its affiliates. Defunding Planned Parenthood will unjustly punish women who have access to no other health care providers for their basic health care needs.

The harm caused by defunding Planned Parenthood is brushed aside by my colleagues. They will argue that they have provided additional funding to community health centers to make up for the loss of funding for Planned Parenthood. This is a red herring. This very limited additional funding will not and cannot replace Planned Parenthood clinics and their important role as a safety net provided for millions of women across the country.

Defunding Planned Parenthood is nothing more than an attempt by some in Congress to pander to a fringe base. The fact is, the majority of Americans support Planned Parenthood and support health care services for women. The continuing efforts to defund Planned Parenthood are false proxies for banning abortion--that is calling a spade a spade--and all that will happen is that women's health care will be put at risk.

These attacks on Planned Parenthood must end. So let's stop wasting time undermining women's health care and get back to the real business at hand. Let's fund the government. Let's give middle-class families and small businesses tax relief. Let's pass bills to invest in our infrastructure and our children's education. These are all things we need to do in the next week that will actually make a difference--a positive difference--in the lives of millions of Americans.

I ask my colleagues to join me in rejecting this extremely partisan measure before us and move on to the real business of the Senate.

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