H.R. 354 Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2017

U.S. Congresswoman Diane Black of Tennessee reintroduced the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2017 which has been backed by more than 125 cosponsors. There are a lot of people up in arms about the defunding of Planned Parenthood but do they really understand this bill or are they just listening to people from Planned Parenthood claim they are being targeted and a woman’s right to affordable, important, healthcare is in danger.

Let’s look at this bill H.R. 354 and the Congresswoman who reintroduced it. Congresswoman Black is a registered nurse, was an educator, and a small business owner. She has ties to her community and cares about the people she serves and that includes their health so there would be no advantage for her to reintroduce this bill to Defund Planned Parenthood if it were to hurt the very people she serves.
 

This legislation has been put forth to prioritize preventive healthcare over elective abortion. It places a one year hold on all federal funding to Planned Parenthood. This includes any of its affiliates and associated clinics until Planned Parenthood certifies they will not perform elective abortions or give funding to entities that do.  This bill takes into consideration in situations where a pregnancy occurs due to the result of rape or incest since this would obviously not be considered elective. Another consideration in this bill, is if a pregnant woman suffers from a physical disorder, injury, or illness which would place the woman’s life at risk unless an abortion is performed, even if the life threatening condition is caused by said pregnancy. Of course this would need to be certified by a physician.

With all this being said, I do not see one place in this bill where the defunding of Planned Parenthood is to take away healthcare screening for women. As a matter of fact there are a lot of places a women can get health services which include diagnostic laboratory and radiology services, well-child care, prenatal as well as postpartum care, immunization, cervical and breast cancer screenings including referrals, sexually transmitted disease testing, and even family planning at the state and county health departments. In many areas there are community health centers, hospitals will not turn you away even if you do not have insurance.

The funds that will no longer be available to Planned Parenthood will still be available to other eligible entities which provide for women’s health care. In case you are wondering how much that adds up to $ 235,000,000 which would be used for community health care center programs.  There is nothing in this bill that can be considered reducing overall Federal funding which is available to support women’s health.

I get it, the outrage is women are upset because of the claims Planned Parenthood makes about serving the community in more ways than providing abortions. Again I am going to talk to you about things I know not statics put out by politicians and the administrators of Planned Parenthood. I make no secret that I am pro-life nor do I apologize for it. I do understand young people make mistakes and sometimes they need help and guidance but that should come from their parents. I know there are more people in this country now than when I was a young girl but we have become a society of acceptance. Young girls having babies used to be upsetting to the parents as well as the young girl who found herself “un-expectantly” pregnant. Now in our society we offer these young women child care in school so they can attend and finish their education. Not a bad thing because we want our children to be educated but also not a good thing because we are sending mixed messages of acceptance of pregnancy while at a young age. They haven’t even begun life, children themselves, already facing the struggles of parenthood before they even experienced the struggle of finding out who and what they want to be. It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children, boys as well as girls, the responsibility that goes along with creating a child. It isn’t something that can be removed with an eraser.

Yes, I am pro-life, but I know women who have gone to Planned Parenthood not for just one mistake and received help but for numerous “mistakes” and had abortions. An abortion isn’t supposed to be a form of birth control, it is in my eyes as well as many others, the taking of a life. There are many women I have talked to over the years who have had to experience an abortion and to this day they regret the decision because there were and still are other options, yet being young and scared they opted for the abortion thinking it was the best way out. Never did they realize one day they would have a child and get to hold them in their arms, cuddle them, and then wonder about the one they didn’t have. There are many women who fight those thoughts and have regrets. So don’t let anyone make you think this is something that may never effect you again once the “procedure” is done.

The case Roe vs. Wade we all know is a well-known court case that was about a woman who, at the age of 22 wasn’t able to find a doctor in her home state to perform an abortion. Her attorney filed to sue the county and referred to the women in question as “Jane Doe.” The battle was fought and won on her behalf but it didn’t happen in time so the woman in question had her child and gave it up for adoption. Since the Roe vs. Wade decision has been made there have been more than 58 million abortions performed in the U.S.A. I don’t know about you but to me that is a staggering amount of “oops.”

When does a new life begin? Scientist say living cells giving rise to new types of cells. What does that mean? The joining of sperm and egg obviously produces a new cell type which is a one cell embryo. Since the embryo is a fusion of two different cells and contains bother sperm and egg it is now a new cell with its own molecular composition. From one cell the human embryo produces tissues, structures, and organs that work together. These cells are produced by the embryo as it develops and matures in to a human life. It doesn’t start week one, week two, week 22, it starts at the starting line, with time of conception. Now that is a scientific out look of cells and I get it most people who believe in abortion will argue that’s not true since you don’t hear a heartbeat yet.

Still this embryo is growing inside the womb, it’s not a tumor, a growth, but it is an embryo working towards its own development, working towards coming into the world and being loved by those who created it. On the religious side of things it has been argued life begins at conception. Again believe what you will, but I for one go with the embryo is the start of life which would mean it does begin at conception.

As far as other services supplied by planned parenthood to women in need. I know people who have had to have pap smears, mammograms, and other diagnostic testing so these women went to Planned Parenthood for these tests. After all that’s what their services are supposed to be for women in need, right? Well as it turns out these tests they are supplying, most women pay for. They are not given out free of charge to all women. I know people who live on a limited income and were told some of these tests would cost upwards of $ 500.00 and for that they could go to a hospital and get charity care if need be or to the health department in their county and see what is available for them.

Women’s health issues are a big deal in my family, I lost my mother and my sister to cancer. I myself was lucky because I had a doctor who was pro-active and saved my life even though I was low income. My doctor, my doctor’s office didn’t stop to think can she afford this, they just did what was needed to be done. They saved my life. I was one of the lucky ones. There is help out there for women so please don’t let anyone make you believe the only answer to women’s health issues is Planned Parenthood. If they are truly in existence to help women, to care for women’s health issues, then they would not battle the abortion issue since they would still be called upon to help those who are really the ones in need even of abortion. Remember I said back at the beginning in cases of rape, incest and the threat of a mother’s life abortions can be performed by Planned Parenthood.

I for one, as I am sure you are well aware by now, support this bill to Defund Planned Parenthood. I am sure I have angered some people with this article but that was not my wish. I only want to give you the breakdown and information that is out there so you, as a concerned citizen, can make an educated decision on your own. Life is too precious to throw it away.

May God Bless America and all the children of this world.