[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 27 (Friday, February 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FULL-YEAR CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2011

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                               speech of

                          HON. SHELLEY BERKLEY

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 17, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Defense and the other 
     departments and agencies of the Government for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2011, and for other purposes:

  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the Pence 
Amendment.
  Rep. Pence's amendment would prohibit Planned Parenthood from 
receiving any federal funds, including Medicaid reimbursement for 
family planning services, funding for HIV testing and counseling, 
funding for programs to prevent infertility, breast and cervical cancer 
screening funds, and funding to provide evidenced-based sex education, 
including information about abstinence. This amendment would have a 
devastating impact on communities like Las Vegas.
  In my district, Planned Parenthood's Flamingo Health Center is an 
essential community provider and one of only three Title X facilities 
in Clark County. In FY 2010, 27 percent of their clients were at or 
below 100 percent of Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and an additional 39 
percent were between 100 percent and 250 percent of FPL. Planned 
Parenthood provides access for many low-income women to basic and 
preventive healthcare, often serving as a primary care provider. In 
FY2010, Planned Parenthood provided basic healthcare services to more 
than 18,000 Nevadans.
  Rep. Pence's amendment will result in 1.4 million Medicaid patients--
predominately women--losing access to their health care provider. This 
attack on Medicaid patients' access to their local provider occurs at 
the same time that the Medicaid program desperately needs more doctors 
and nurses to participate in the program. Existing access issues will 
only become exacerbated as a result of the Medicaid expansion to 133 
percent of the Federal Poverty Level under the Patient Protection and 
Affordable Care Act (ACA).
  Federal law already requires health care providers to demonstrate 
that federal funds are not used for abortion care, so this amendment is 
a clear attempt to cut funding for cancer screenings and contraception 
for low-income women at Planned Parenthood health centers. Rep. Pence's 
amendment has one goal--to undermine women's access to basic, 
preventive healthcare and the women's health providers they rely on in 
their communities. I oppose this amendment and efforts to deprive women 
access to essential healthcare services.

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