Action Taken to Investigate, Defund Planned Parenthood, and Save Lives

Press Release

As we move forward at the Energy and Commerce Committee with a thorough investigation into Planned Parenthood's practices, I am pleased we are also taking concrete steps to strengthen existing laws that will help protect the lives of babies while also introducing legislation to defund Planned Parenthood. Below are the bills we've introduced during the 114th Congress and links for you to review the legislation:

H.R. 3134, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015
Bill would impose a one-year moratorium on all federal funding to Planned Parenthood or any of its affiliates while investigations are conducted unless they certify they will not perform abortions or provide funds to other entities that perform abortions.
Restriction does not apply in cases of rape, incest or woman's health concerns.

H.R. 3429, the Prohibiting the Life-Ending Industry of Fetal Organ Exchange Act or the Pro-LIFE Act
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the transfer of fetal tissue in exchange for valuable consideration, including payments associated with the transportation, implantation, processing, preservation, quality control, or storage of human fetal tissue.

H.R. 3494, the Protecting Infants Born Alive Act
Draft legislation I have authored to strengthen and improve the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002. The Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002 became law on August 5, 2002 and requires that any reference to person, human being, child or individual include every infant born alive.

H.R. 3495, the Women's Public Health and Safety Act
The bill amends the Medicaid law to allow states the flexibility and discretion to be able to exclude abortion providers like Planned Parenthood from Medicaid. States that have tried to defund Planned Parenthood have been blocked by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services assertion that states must fund Planned Parenthood under what is known as the "free choice of qualified provider" provision in Medicaid. Since the release of the undercover videos by Center for Medical Progress three states (Louisiana, Alabama and Arkansas) have sought to terminate Planned Parenthood's Medicaid contracts and are now embroiled in lawsuits.

H.R 3504, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
Bill mandates that infants born alive during abortions are legal persons entitled to all the rights and protections allowed to other legal persons, including needed medical care and attention. This legislation requires the same care for a child born alive during an abortion as a naturally premature baby born in a hospital. Any violation to this rule is a federal offense and must immediately be reported to law enforcement.
The bill also provides for criminal penalties for providers who fail to provide care to baby.

H.R. XX, the Protect Infants from Partial-birth Abortion Act
Legislation will bolster the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003.
The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 amends the Federal Criminal code to ban partial-birth abortions except in the interest of the life of the mother

*Both Ellmers and Blackburn bills will ban any provider proven of violating either of these existing laws from participating in Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP and will allow states that suspect any violation of these existing laws to ban those suspected from the state's Medicaid program.*

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