[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5281]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              PLANNED PARENTHOOD V. WOMEN'S HEALTH CLINICS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Missouri (Mrs. Wagner) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of life and in 
respect for the conscience rights of all citizens of this free Nation.
  I was proud to preside over the floor of the U.S. House of 
Representatives a few short weeks ago as we voted in favor of No 
Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act to strike down an Obama 
administration policy that forces Americans to fund abortion providers.
  We also passed H.J. Res. 43, which is another step closer to 
restoring the rights of States to decide how to distribute title X 
funding for women's health care. The measures ensure that States are 
not forced to fund abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.
  Based on its own annual report, Planned Parenthood performs the most 
abortions in the United States. It commits more than 320,000 abortions 
every year, 887 each day. Mr. Speaker, that is one abortion every 97 
seconds. Three unborn children's lives will be taken by Planned 
Parenthood as I stand here this morning.
  Recently, Planned Parenthood has begun attacking me as a supposed 
enemy of women's health care. Nothing could be further from the truth. 
All Missourians deserve quality health care, which is one reason I 
oppose taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood. This organization does 
not provide general women's health or mammogram screenings. That is a 
fallacy.
  In the State of Missouri, there are 12 Planned Parenthood facilities 
scattered across our 114 counties. However, Mr. Speaker, we are 
grateful to have 588 healthcare clinics that prioritize women's health 
and wellness. That is 49 healthcare clinics for every 1 Planned 
Parenthood health center. So instead of driving 100 miles or more to a 
Planned Parenthood in Missouri, women can receive the quality care they 
need within their own communities.
  Last Congress, I voted to increase funding to those very clinics by 
hundreds of millions of dollars. Congress has a sincere duty to not 
only defund big abortion but to radically change the conversation 
around life issues.
  Members of Congress and this administration understand that life is 
beautiful, that children are a blessing, that abortion is not 
healthcare. It kills children, and it hurts women.
  Rest assured that our work to protect life, all life, has only just 
begun.

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