Bill Lee: “First, I want to thank Congresswoman DeLauro for yielding and for her tremendous leadership on so many issues important…”

“First, I want to thank Congresswoman DeLauro for yielding and for her tremendous leadership on so many issues important to women and the entire country. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H. Con. Res. 79, which once again attempts to defund Planned Parenthood for 1 year. This callous action would leave millions of women across the country without access to critical healthcare services. This shameful resolution is the 15th anti women's health vote this year. We know that Planned Parenthood centers are essential to the health and well-being of women and their families. They serve as primary care facilities for women seeking birth control, comprehensive family planning services, and cancer and STI screenings. According to the Guttmacher Institute, in 21 percent of counties where Planned Parenthood operates health centers, it is the county's only family planning provider. Mr. Speaker, for these communities, there are no other options. Defunding Planned Parenthood would hurt the communities that need help the most: low-income women and women of color. Politicians have no business interfering with a woman's personal health decisions that are best for her and her family, and she needs family planning centers to exercise all of her options as it relates to her health care. This resolution is deceitful and it is wrong.…”