Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, 25 years ago legislation sponsored by then-Congressman George Bush, signed into law by then-President Richard Nixon, established an American family planning program. It has been one of the most successful programs in the history of our Nation, and its success is for simple reasons. Family planning prevents unplanned pregnancies. And when you prevent unplanned pregnancies, you prevent abortions, and we all support that, and every American supports that goal. Preventing unplanned pregnancies prevents welfare dependency. It allows poor working women who have no health insurance to have access to contraception, to birth control, to the kind of counseling and health services they need, so that they can plan their families and stay off of the welfare rolls. Mr. Chairman, this program has not been controversial. It is supported by 70 percent of Americans for good reason. But lately it has become controversial. The Committee on House Appropriations chose to zero out, after 25 years, to eliminate entirely the title X family planning bill. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is straightforward. My amendment restores the title X family planning program. It is also very simple in these regards. It makes it clear, in black and white, that not a penny of these funds can be used to provide abortion services. That would be controversial. These funds are not for that purpose.”