Planned Parenthood Leader, GOP Lawmakers Square Off At Committee Hearing
During the hearing held by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, GOP panel members grilled Cecile Richards, the organization's president, on a series of recently released, covert videos and the organization's use of federal funds.
The New York Times:
Planned Parenthood’s Leader Pushes Back Against G.O.P. Critics
The embattled president of Planned Parenthood on Tuesday forcefully disputed what she called “outrageous accusations” by Republicans that her organization profits from the sale of fetal tissue, telling Congress that the charges were “offensive and categorically untrue.” (Shear, 9/29)
Los Angeles Times:
Planned Parenthood Chief Takes On Republican Critics In Emotional Hearing
She fought back against allegations that Planned Parenthood profits from such donations, noting that it provides an array of healthcare services. Any charges for procuring the fetal tissue merely cover its costs, the organization says. Federal law bans the sale of fetal tissue for profit. (Howard, 9/29)
The Wall Street Journal:
Planned Parenthood Head Testifies On Capitol Hill
Ms. Richards defended Planned Parenthood’s practices and management throughout her testimony, largely avoiding missteps that could be quoted later by opponents. In her first appearance on Capitol Hill since the release of the videos, she described allegations that clinics profited from the use of fetal tissue as “outrageous” and untrue, and said they were part of a broader campaign aimed at rolling back abortion rights. (Armour and Radnofsky, 9/29)
The Associated Press:
House Chair: Planned Parenthood Doesn't Need Federal Money
[A] House committee chairman insisted Tuesday that the organization does not need federal money and spends much of it on political activities. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, made the remarks to Cecile Richards, the group's president, as she waited to testify before his House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. ... Chaffetz lashed out at the organization for what he called "exorbitant" spending for salaries, travel, parties and lobbying. "That's money that's not going to women's health care," said Chaffetz. He added, "It's a political organization." (Fram, 9/29)
USA Today:
Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards Mounts Defense Before Congress
Richards argued that most of the federal funding Planned Parenthood receives is reimbursement under Medicaid and other programs for health care services like birth control, cancer screenings, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections."No federal funds pay for abortion services," she said in written testimony, "except in the very limited circumstances permitted by law — when the woman has been raped, has been the victim of incest, or when her life is endangered." But Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said it appears to him "this is an organization that doesn't need federal subsidy." He said the group has its own revenue streams, and "Planned Parenthood is an organization with massive salaries... (and) exorbitant travel expenses." (Singer, 9/29)
Politico:
GOP Chair Attacks Planned Parenthood President's Salary
Committee Democrats labeled the hearing as the latest in a long GOP war against women and abortion rights. The lengthy hearing broke little new ground but is unlikely to quiet calls from House Republicans to eliminate the organization's federal funding. While the organization will be spared from cuts in the latest stopgap government spending bill expected to pass Congress this week, both opponents and proponents know that defunding efforts will return. The hearing started just hours before the House approved a bill that would let states block Medicaid funds to providers who perform abortions. (Haberkorn, 9/29)
The Washington Post:
Planned Parenthood Leader: Video Allegations Are ‘Offensive’ And ‘Untrue’
Meanwhile, several House committees began taking steps to implement a separate legislative strategy that could draw President Obama into the dispute. Later this week, they will begin assembling a budget-reconciliation bill that would cut off Planned Parenthood’s funding, as well as repeal Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Because legislation moved through the reconciliation process cannot be filibustered, it is likely to be approved by both chambers, forcing Obama to veto the bill. The wrangling could keep the congressional debate over Planned Parenthood alive into next year, keeping the organization — and the abortion issue — in the spotlight through the Republican presidential primaries. (Somashekhar, 9/30)
Fox News:
Planned Parenthood Boss Clashes With Lawmakers Over Taxpayer $$, Videos
So two House committees plan to approve filibuster-proof legislation shifting Planned Parenthood's Medicaid funds -- about $350 million -- to community health centers. The bill would also keep a promise made during this spring's budget debate to repeal key elements of Obama's signature health care law. Panel votes are expected Tuesday and Wednesday. In addition to the four congressional committee investigations of Planned Parenthood, Boehner has said he will also appoint a special committee to probe the group. (9/29)
Reuters:
Republicans, Planned Parenthood Square Off In Congress
Republicans favor shifting Planned Parenthood's federal funds to community clinics, and they grilled Richards on why doing so would restrict access to care. ... Democrats had asked that David Daleiden, the anti-abortion activist behind the videos, attend the hearing as well, but Republican leaders did not invite him. (Cassella, 9/29)
The Hill:
GOP Unloads On Planned Parenthood Executive
Some of the tensest exchanges came from some of the same 31 Republicans who threatened to shut down the government in an attempt to defund Planned Parenthood, including Reps. Jim Jordan (Ohio) and Trey Gowdy (S.C.). Jordan interrupted Richards 19 times in five minutes as he grilled her about the previous apology she had given about the leaked footage. (Ferris, 9/29)
The Washington Post's The Fix:
5 Moments When Congress’s Planned Parenthood Hearing Got Heated
Tuesday's showdown between House Republicans and Planned Parenthood was a battle some conservatives hoped to be having on a much larger scale this week. But they got a battle nonetheless. (Phillips, 9/29)
Bloomberg:
Planned Parenthood Leader Says Fetal Tissue Claims Are False
Planned Parenthood operates through a national office and 59 affiliates, which provide disease screenings and other medical services through approximately 700 local health centers.
The group receives about one-third of its annual revenue, or about $450 million, from federal programs, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Of that amount, about $390 million is provided by Medicaid. Planned Parenthood affiliates reported spending $64.4 million in Title X funding, a federal family planning program, in fiscal 2012, according to the Congressional Research Service. (Miller, 9/29)
The Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Planned Parenthood Head Defends Group Before House Committee
A House of Representatives committee grilled the head of Planned Parenthood on Tuesday about the organization's political activities, its use of federal tax dollars and its donation of tissue from aborted fetuses to medical researchers. The move comes amid Republican outrage over videos released by an anti-abortion group that suggest the organization profits from fetal tissue donations. Some Republicans have tried to insert language in a must-pass spending bill to rescind the roughly $500 million the organization gets each year from the federal government, and direct it to other women's health care providers. (Eaton, 9/29)
McClatchy:
GOP Critics Attack, Planned Parenthood Chief Counters
Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards told a congressional hearing Tuesday that claims that the group was selling fetal tissue for profit, making the health care provider a political target of both Republican lawmakers and the party’s presidential hopefuls, were "offensive and categorically untrue." Richards was under fire from the GOP-led House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from the outset, defending the group’s work in face of embarrassing undercover videos prepared by abortion opponents that show employees negotiating in a matter-of-fact manner over fetal tissue donations. (Toohey, 9/29)
NBC News:
Planned Parenthood Chief Cecile Richards Faces Off With Congressional GOP
Republicans both in Congress and on the presidential campaign trail have condemned Planned Parenthood for the recordings, and some have called for shutting down the government unless federal funding for the group is eliminated. In addition to quizzing Richards on Planned Parenthood's fetal tissue practices, Republicans questioned the group's spending -- and why, with an annual budget of $1.3 billion, it still relies on federal dollars. (Rafferty, 9/30)
The Washington Post's Morning Mix:
In Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards, GOP Faces Formidable Fan Of ‘Kick-Butt’ Politics
Republican lawmakers have an incentive to make these hearings as contentious as possible: abortion rights and Planned Parenthood’s funding are likely to be sticking points in budget negotiations this December and major election issues after that. The account of Richard’s performance and who came out on top depended on who was reporting the hearing. “Planned Parenthood blasted over salaries, expensive parties,” was the headline at the Washington Examiner. “Planned Parenthood boss clashes with lawmakers over taxpayer $$, videos,” reported Fox News. But according to MSNBC, it was a triumph for Richards. “Planned Parenthood chief embarrasses GOP rep.” (Kaplan, 9/30)
The Huffington Post:
Americans Like Planned Parenthood More Than They Like Politicians
Congress may be split over whether to defund Planned Parenthood, but Americans seem largely decided -- in favor of the family planning provider. An NBC/WSJ poll released Sunday found that Americans feel more favorably toward Planned Parenthood than they do about either the Democratic and Republican Party, the current Republican and Democratic presidential front-runners and President Barack Obama. (Velencia, 9/29)
