Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY17) criticized the Republican leadership for re-fighting the cultural wars of the past rather than on putting Americans back to work.  Their latest bit of theatrics is an attempt to strip Planned Parenthood of funding for health services and tax women and businesses for the health insurance they purchase.

“The American people spoke loud and clear and said, ‘It’s the economy, stupid.’   The Republicans are proving what I suspected from the start, that they had no intention or plan to put people back to work.  Instead, they have chosen to restart the culture wars and fight long ago lost battles.  In the last couple of weeks, all they did is pass a go-nowhere bill to repeal health care for over 30 million Americans, and gear up for a new round of attacks against women’s rights.  What’s next, ending Social Security?” said Rep. Engel.

“I find it ironic that the Republican Party bangs the drum about smaller government and rails against ‘government intrusion’ into the lives of citizens. For them it is not ok for government to provide health care, but it is fine for it to tell you who you can marry and to restrict the health care you can receive,” added Rep. Engel.

In addition to seeking to defund Planned Parenthood, the Republican Majority is also readying several bills which seek to redefine the definition of rape and incest, and raise taxes on women and businesses that pick certain health plans and ban other women from medical care in an attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court ruling on abortion.  “We should be talking about more jobs for Americans, or how we can solve the many problems associated with energy, education, and immigration rather than raising taxes on those who seek health insurance.  In fact, we should be talking about anything else rather than parsing words when referring to something as heinous as rape or as abhorrent as incest.  I find this course of action by the Majority to be shameful,” added Rep. Engel, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on health.

Planned Parenthood, despite recent unfortunate actions made by a few of its employees, is a lifeline for millions of low- to middle-income women.  For many women, especially those in rural areas and underserved communities, Planned Parenthood is their only source of health care in providing such irreplaceable services for women such as:

• Mammograms
• Health checkups
• Pap tests and other cancer screening
• HIV screening
• Testing for high blood pressure
• Referrals to specialists

“Taking away funding for Planned Parenthood is not a death sentence for the organization, but it very well could be for some of the women who rely upon the services.  While the Republicans failed to repeal health care reform, allowing them to defund Planned Parenthood would repeal health care for women in great need.  I refuse to believe that this is what the American people have in mind.  Let’s do as we promised and work together to solve problems and get people back to work,” added Rep. Engel.

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