Quigley Speaks on House Floor Against Anti-Choice Amendment

Congressman Mike Quigley gave the following speech on the floor of the House on July 24, 2009 on the issue of expanding Health Care for women:

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Pence amendment.

At a time when we are consumed with discussions of expanding health care to the uninsured and improving our health care system, I find this amendment - confusing.

The Pence amendment would effectively cut off 1.7 million women from - what in many cases serves as their primary care provider - Planned Parenthood.

Aren't we trying to expand coverage, not limit it?

Thirty-six percent of women receiving family planning care through the Title X program, do so through Planned Parenthood.

And let's be clear - these services do not include abortion -Title X dollars are prohibited from being spent on abortion.

The services we are talking about cutting include: breast exams, testing for cervical cancer, screenings for sexually transmitted diseases, HIV screening, and family planning services.

Planned Parenthood has worked for over 90 years to educate women about pregnancy and help prevent unintended pregnancies - and thus the need for abortion.

For 1.7 million, the only medical care they will be able to receive this year is from a provider at Planned Parenthood.

Why, when we are working so diligently to reform our health care system, would we take away the only source of health care many women receive?

Vote no on this destructive amendment; vote no on the Pence amendment.