Murray on Latest GOP Effort to Defund Planned Parenthood: “Women Have Had Enough”

Murray on Latest GOP Effort to Defund Planned Parenthood: “Women Have Had Enough”

Murray: “I’ve heard from so many women and men who are tired of women’s health being undermined, threatened, and used as a political football here in Washington, D.C.”

Murray introduces amendment to support, strengthen women’s health care

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee delivered remarks on the Senate floor on the damaging Senate Republican legislation that defunds Planned Parenthood. In her remarks, Murray highlighted that Planned Parenthood is a critical source of health care for women across the country, and that women are tired of being used for political pandering and feeling threatened when seeking care. Murray called on Republicans to work with Democrats on policies that help families, rather than doubling down on attacking women’s health care and Planned Parenthood.

Murray also introduced an amendment to the legislation to strike the harmful language defunding Planned Parenthood, and support and strengthen women’s health care by creating a fund that supports women’s health and clinic safety.

Key Excerpts from Senator Murray’s remarks:

“I think we can all agree that there is a lot of work Congress needs to get done. Priorities like continuing to improve health care for families, creating jobs, boosting wages and expanding economic security for workers, and making higher education more affordable and accessible, just to name a few. But unfortunately, instead of working with Democrats to focus on these challenges—the ones families face every day—far too many Republicans have doubled down on a favorite pastime. And that is attacking women’s health and rights in order to pander to their extreme base.”

“The House and Senate have voted a total of seventeen times on legislation that would undermine women’s health care and rights. That’s right, M. President—in the year 2015, Republicans in Congress have introduced over forty bills, and held seventeen votes, on whether or not Congress should roll back women’s rights. It’s completely unacceptable. And the bill we are debating today, which would defund Planned Parenthood, is just more of the same—and another effort to force extreme policies through under a fast-track process.”

“I know many of us here today are thinking of those who are suffering, and who lost loved ones, as a result of the tragic violence in Colorado Springs last week…People across the country, men and women, have had enough of extremism and violence, including at Planned Parenthood health care centers. When a woman seeks health care—constitutionally protected health care—she shouldn’t have to feel threatened in any way. A doctor in a woman’s health clinic should not have to worry about wearing a bulletproof vest under her lab coat. Women’s health care should not be controversial, much less cause for violence, in the 21st century. Women and their families have had enough.”

“I’ve heard from so many women and men who are tired of women’s health being undermined, threatened, and used as a political football here in Washington, D.C., who can’t believe that in the 21st century, a Presidential candidate would claim that expanding access to birth control is as easy as setting up a few more vending machines in men’s rooms.  These women and men across the country are speaking up—and saying ‘not on our watch’ to those who want to turn back the clock on women’s health and rights. I’m going to continue bringing their voices and their fight to the Senate floor.”

“…I’m proud to be introducing an amendment that would strike the harmful language defunding Planned Parenthood from this legislation—and replace it with a new fund to support women’s health care and clinic safety. There is so much we need to do to improve women’s health care, from strengthening the women’s health care workforce, to expanding access to constitutionally protected reproductive health care, to raising awareness about violence against women, and much more. This fund would offer an opportunity make progress on goals like these, and do more to support women’s health providers and clinics at a time when they need it most. Critically, it would show women and families that their constitutional rights, safety, and health care should come before Tea Party political pandering, not the other way around. And it is fully paid for by the Buffett rule.”

“Democrats are going to keep standing up for women—and encouraging Republicans to focus on the real challenges families face rather than the political attacks their Tea Party base is so focused on. I urge my colleagues to join me in standing against this harmful effort to defund Planned Parenthood—and delivering a clear message—again—to Republicans in Congress who want to play politics with women’s health: not on our watch.”

Full text of Senator Murray’s remarks:

“Thank you. M. President, I think we can all agree that there is a lot of work Congress needs to get done.

“Priorities like continuing to improve health care for families, creating jobs, boosting wages and expanding economic security for workers, and making higher education more affordable and accessible, just to name a few.

“But unfortunately, instead of working with Democrats to focus on these challenges—the ones families face every day—far too many Republicans have doubled down on a favorite pastime.

“And that is attacking women’s health and rights in order to pander to their extreme base.

“I’m proud to be on the floor today with many of my Democratic colleagues to say that enough is enough—and make clear that even as Republicans try to take women’s health backward, we are going to keep pushing hard in the other direction—for continued progress on women’s access to health care and constitutionally protected reproductive rights.

“M. President, this year alone, according to NARAL Pro-Choice America, more than forty bills have been introduced in Congress that would undermine a woman’s constitutionally protected right to make her own choices about her own body.

“The House and Senate have voted a total of seventeen times on legislation that would undermine women’s health care and rights. That’s right, M. President—in the year 2015, Republicans in Congress have introduced over forty bills, and held seventeen votes, on whether or not Congress should roll back women’s rights.

“It’s completely unacceptable.

“And the bill we are debating today, which would defund Planned Parenthood, is just more of the same—and another effort to force extreme policies through under a fast-track process.

“A vote on this bill is a vote on whether a young woman should be able to go to the provider she trusts to get birth control, whether cancer screenings should be more, or less, available to women across the country, and whether the 2.7 million men and women who visit Planned Parenthood each year should continue to get health care services they rely on.

“M. President, over the last few months of Republican political attacks on Planned Parenthood and women’s health, I’ve been proud to stand with women nationwide who are making their voices heard, and fighting for their right to make their own health care decisions.

“Women like Shannon from Tumwater, Washington. Shannon says that care she received at Planned Parenthood as a young woman protected her ability to have children—and that today, she has Planned Parenthood to thank for her little girl.

“Women like Breanne from Seattle—Breanne went to Planned Parenthood as an uninsured student, where providers caught abnormal cell growth on her cervix wall before it could turn into cancer.

“And the women and advocates at the Planned Parenthood Center in Pullman, Washington. After their building was damaged in an arson attack, the Pullman community came together and established a ‘pop-up’ clinic to make sure women and families could continue to get the care they need.

“M. President, I know many of us here today are thinking of those who are suffering, and who lost loved ones, as a result of the tragic violence in Colorado Springs last week.

“M. President, people across the country—men and women—have had enough of extremism and violence, including at Planned Parenthood health care centers.

“When a woman seeks health care—constitutionally protected health care—she shouldn’t have to feel threatened in any way.

“A doctor in a woman’s health clinic should not have to worry about wearing a bulletproof vest under her lab coat.

“Women’s health care should not be controversial, much less cause for violence, in the 21st century. Women and their families have had enough.

“I’ve heard from so many women and men who are tired of women’s health being undermined, threatened, and used as a political football here in Washington, D.C., who can’t believe that in the 21st century, a Presidential candidate would claim that expanding access to birth control is as easy as setting up a few more vending machines in men’s rooms.

“These women and men across the country are speaking up—and saying ‘not on our watch’ to those who want to turn back the clock on women’s health and rights…

“I’m going to continue bringing their voices and their fight to the Senate floor.

“M. President—we all know this tired political effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act—and take Planned Parenthood down with it—is a dead end.

“But if Republicans are going to try to cut off women’s access to health care, I’m going to make sure they hear about it, and that people across the country know exactly where Democrats stand: with women.

“That’s why I’m proud to be introducing an amendment that would strike the harmful language defunding Planned Parenthood from this legislation—and replace it with a new fund to support women’s health care and clinic safety.

“There is so much we need to do to improve women’s health care, from strengthening the women’s health care workforce, to expanding access to constitutionally protected reproductive health care, to raising awareness about violence against women, and much more.

“This fund would offer an opportunity make progress on goals like these, and do more to support women’s health providers and clinics at a time when they need it most. 

“Critically, it would show women and families that their constitutional rights, safety, and health care should come before Tea Party political pandering, not the other way around. And it is fully paid for by the Buffett rule. 

“Democrats are going to keep standing up for women—and encouraging Republicans to focus on the real challenges families face rather than the political attacks their Tea Party base is so focused on.

“I urge my colleagues to join me in standing against this harmful effort to defund Planned Parenthood—and delivering a clear message—again—to Republicans in Congress who want to play politics with women’s health: not on our watch.

“Thank you and I yield the floor.”