Vote Explanation for H.R. 3134 and H.R. 3504

09/18/2015

Today, I voted against two bills that would limit a woman’s access to safe and legal health care, including reproductive services.

The Defund Planned Parenthood Act (H.R. 3134) would prohibit Planned Parenthood health centers from receiving federal funding for one year. Defunding Planned Parenthood is unwise as it would also reduce the availability of important preventative health services such as cancer screenings, routine physical exams, and diabetes and cholesterol counseling, especially for low-income families that depend on Planned Parenthood for those services. Should investigations reveal that Planned Parenthood did something unethical or illegal, I will support Congress revisiting the subject of funding Planned Parenthood.

The Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 3504) would add new criminal penalties against doctors and health care providers that fail to provide care to an infant born alive during a failed abortion. Under current law known as the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002, any infant born-alive from a failed abortion already requires a certain standard of care and includes provisions that would hold doctors accountable for failing to do so. I am concerned that the potential for additional lawsuits or criminal charges may discourage doctors from providing safe abortion services that are already legal.

I believe in a woman’s right to make her own health and reproductive choices. While I respect the differences in opinions and beliefs regarding women’s health and reproductive issues, I believe Members of Congress should not be making health care decisions for women nor should they be discouraging physicians from providing safe medical care due to fear of legal action. Women can and should make their own decisions about their bodies.