ICYMI: House Judiciary Committee Hearing Turns Into Political Circus on Abortion

Washington, DC-- Today, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing provocatively titled “Planned Parenthood Exposed, Examining the Horrific Abortion Practices at the Nation’s Largest Abortion Provider.” The hearing quickly devolved away from having anything to do with the false accusations against Planned Parenthood, instead becoming a proxy debate about abortion itself. #FactsnotFraud, the hashtag used by supporters of Planned Parenthood, trended nationally during the trial.

Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President for Planned Parenthood Federation of America:
“This hearing was political theater at its very worst. From the provocative title to the slate of life-long anti-abortion activists invited to testify, it’s clear this hearing was not about Planned Parenthood --- it was a chance for anti-abortion extremists and members of Congress to promote their political agenda of banning abortion in this country.

“Millions of people across the country depend on Planned Parenthood for basic, reproductive health care. More than half of Planned Parenthood’s health centers are in rural or medically underserved areas, meaning that quite literally, without us, many of our patients would have nowhere else to go. These attacks against Planned Parenthood are fraudulent, have been widely discredited, and are intended to deceive the public in order to further an anti-abortion agenda. The public overwhelmingly rejects these baseless attacks and overwhelmingly supports federal funding for Planned Parenthood's preventive services. This is not what people want to see Congress spending its time doing."

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With approximately 700 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.