Walker weighs in on fetal tissue bill

The House voted 242-184 to form a panel as part of the Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday after Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) introduced the resolution.

The House voted last month to halt the federal dollars Planned Parenthood receives, but Democrats blocked similar Senate legislation.

Republicans said the committee was needed to examine whether Planned Parenthood is breaking laws or misusing taxpayer money.

Abortion might be a spotlight issue in the upcoming 2016 presidential election after controversy between Planned Parenthood and the GOP almost caused another government shutdown.

The panel will have 13 members and will investigate claims made by the Center for Medical Progress’ heavily edited undercover videos that Planned Parenthood was illegally selling the fetal tissue of aborted fetuses.

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, compared the Republican committees to the early-1950s investigations of alleged communist infiltration led by Sen. The unedited video indicates that the Planned Parenthood executive being interviewed repeatedly said that clinics want to cover their costs, not make money, when donating fetal tissue from abortions for scientific research, according to factcheck.org.

“There are now three House committees investigating this matter, engaging in document requests, receiving testimony from Planned Parenthood personnel, reviewing troves of information, and committing taxpayer resources to this most important effort”. Its “official” stated mission is an examination of “medical procedures and business practices used by entities involved in fetal tissue procurement” and “federal funding and support for abortion providers”. The panel must disband 30 days after its final report is issued.

Hoos for Life President Katharine Britton, a third-year in the College, said Hoos for Life consistently peacefully protests the Planned Parenthood on Hydraulic Road each Friday morning to increase awareness about their views. While picketing, the group gave out info packets to inform women about alternatives to abortions.

While Republicans on the Community and Family Advancement Committee were supportive of both bills, Democrats voiced concern about the potential for blocking funding to certain groups and prohibiting abortions after 20 weeks in cases of rape or incest or if an unborn child would likely not survive.

The St. Lawrence University College Democrats will be holding a rally Thursday in support of Planned Parenthood of the North Country.

“Instead of listening to the American people, who have been clear they have no interest in Congress continuing to pursue this wrongheaded agenda, the Judiciary Committee will hold yet another political hearing”, Laguens said.

“The videos not only raise questions about Planned Parenthood’s compliance with applicable laws and regulations, but also highlight potentially significant problems with HHS’s oversight of practices in this market in general”.