I cannot believe we are debating whether federal funding should be given to family planning, or more specifically Planned Parenthood. By trying to eliminate the Title X family planning program and bar Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds to serve low-income patients, congressional representatives are ignoring real issues that Americans care about.
Millions of American women, including over 140,000 in Washington, have used Planned Parenthood’s services and should be able to continue to get health care where they want. Planned Parenthood has proven itself as a trusted source for reproductive services such as annual exams, birth control, STI testing and treatment. To defund this organization simply because they are a private provider of abortion services is a shame and will only result in taxpayers paying for an increase in unplanned pregnancies.
Many new representatives were elected to Congress last year because they said they would create jobs, fix the economy and trim the broad reach of government. How can they expect to do this by forcing organizations like Planned Parenthood to close down clinics? I hope the conservative majority in the House of Representatives will start doing the work they are getting paid to do and let women’s health care continue to be a cost-effective public health program that benefits us all.
Carrie Getz
Bothell
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