GOP puts heat on health provider
PLANNED PARENTHOOD president Cecile Richards told a congressional hearing that claims the group was selling foetal tissue for profit, making the healthcare provider a political target of both Republican lawmakers and the party’s presidential hopefuls, were ‘‘offensive and categorically untrue’’.
Richards was under fire from the GOP-led House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from the outset, defending the group’s work in the face of embarrassing undercover videos prepared by abortion opponents that show employees negotiating in a matter-of-fact manner over foetal tissue donations.
She called the videos ‘‘deceptively edited’’ and said her organisation’s involvement with foetal tissue research complied with federal and state statutes, and that it accepted compensation below costs.
‘‘Currently less than 1 per cent of Planned Parenthood health centres are facilitating the donation of tissue for foetal tissue research,’’ Richards said. ‘‘In those health centres, it’s something that many of our patients want to do and regularly request.’’
Whether the videos were manipulated is under investigation, but Republican Jim Jordan told Richards, ‘‘You can say all you want, but a picture is worth a thousand words’’.
Long a target of conservatives, the issue has caught Planned Parenthood in a political whirlwind. Republicans in Congress want to cut off its federal support, even threatening to hold the federal budget hostage to their demands.
That issue, among others, led to the stunning decision last week by House Speaker John Boehner, who has struggled with the Right wing of his party, to resign at the end of this month.
It has also triggered fireworks on the campaign trail, as several of the GOP’s 2016 presidential contenders have used the controversy to score political points.
The committee chairman, Republican Jason Chaffetz, questioned Planned Parenthood’s need for any federal funds when the organisation has a US$1.3 billion (NZ$2.04b) of annual revenue. ‘‘As best I can tell this is an organisation that doesn’t need federal subsidy,’’ Chaffetz said, noting that 41 per cent of its revenue came from the government.
Richards replied that the federal funds helped the group provide a variety of health services to women, including birth control, cancer screenings, and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.
She said Medicaid, a federalstate programme that helps low income people and families pay for healthcare, reimbursed Planned Parenthood for its services. No federal funds are used to pay for abortions, except in certain cases such as rape and incest.
Several Republicans on the panel said they would prefer to see the federal money aiding Planned Parenthood be distributed among the 13,000 federally approved health centres.
Jordan asked Richards why she had previously apologised when the first videos surfaced if she denied their credibility.
‘‘In my opinion it was inappropriate to have a clinical discussion in a non-clinical setting, nonconfidential area,’’ Richards said of a scene in the video. ‘‘It did not reflect the compassionate care that we provide.’’
Committee Democrats defended Richards and the organisation.
‘‘We need to recognise this fight for what it is,’’ said Republican Carolyn Maloney. ‘‘The core issue is the Republican members of Congress almost universally oppose women’s right to choose.’’
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that cutting off federal aid to Planned Parenthood would increase federal Medicaid spending by $650 million until 2025 and could reduce access to healthcare for 25 per cent of Planned Parenthood’s 2.7 million yearly patients.
Maloney also staunchly opposed Chaffetz’s questions about Richard’s salary as an ‘‘inappropriate and discriminatory’’ attack on successful women.
Republican Gerry Connolly apologised for the rough treatment she had received from Republicans, including the ‘‘disrespect, the misogyny rampant here today’’.
‘‘I’ve seen many women treated tougher than you,’’ Republican John Duncan told Richards.