The war on women is full on. The House voted today, 240-185, to block all federal funding to Planned Parenthood, and to go one further, by defunding Title X entirely. A handful of "Dems" voted with Republicans to endanger the lives of women all over the nation.
The roll call vote hasn't been posted, but House staff provides the names of those Dems who voted with the Rs to defund: Dan Boren (OK), Jerry Costello (IL), Joe Donnelly (IN), Dan Lipinski (IL), Mike McIntyre (NC), Collin Peterson (MN), Nick Rahall (WV), Silvestre Reyes (TX), Mike Ross (AR), Heath Shuler (NC).
These Republicans voted no: Charlie Bass (NH), Judy Biggert (IL), Mary Bono Mack (CA), Charlie Dent (PA), Robert Dold (IL), Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ), Richard Hanna (NY). Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) voted present.
All of the funding blocked, ironically, is Title X funding--contraceptive and family planning assistance to low and moderate income individuals. You know, the education and means by which to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and thus, reducing abortion. Apparently so as not to single out Planned Parenthood, to resolution actually eliminates the entire Title X program.
It will also eliminate the entire Title X program, which was founded in 1970 and is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and preventive health services, particularly to low-income families, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Population Affairs. Preventative health services include breast and cervical cancer screenings, HIV prevention education, pregnancy diagnosis and counseling.
In fiscal year 2010, Congress appropriated approximately $317 million for family planning activities supported under Title X, 90 percent of which was used for clinical family planning services, according to the OPA. In 2008, 4,500 community-based clinics (including health departments, university health centers, faith-based organizations, public and private nonprofit agencies, and tribal organizations) received grants from Title X that went to approximately 5 million people, the OPA said. In roughly 75 percent of U.S. counties, at least one clinic receives Title X funds....
There are 85 local Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide, which operate more than 820 health centers, according to its website, which also indicates that more than 1.2 million youths and adults participate in Planned Parenthood educational programs every year.
Yep, culture of life. Cut off the means for millions of to have access to affordable birth control, thereby creating more unplanned pregnancies. Deny them affordable breast and cervical cancer screenings. Make sure they don't know how to use contraceptives, and even if they do, they don't have access to them.
Make sure that women can't get abortions safely and affordably by making sure insurance won't pay for it and hospitals can refuse to perform it, even if it means the death of the patient. These combined efforts will send more and more women into the hell created by monsters like Kermit Gosnell--the hell created by denying women access to affordable care.
What does this ultimately mean? Women like this one--Jamie Katz--die. And her two healthy children would never have been born.
That's their culture of life.
