The Lowey Amendment Tod H.R. 1

Floor Speech

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this amendment to restore funding to Title X family planning.

By slashing Title X family planning services in the budget, Republicans risk the lives and safety of millions of American women. These proposed cuts to family planning represent the opening salvo in an all-out war on women's health. I ask you to join with me and with my colleagues to restore this vital funding to Title X family planning.

Five million men and women depend on Title X providers for important preventive health care. Among other services, they received 2.3 million breast exams, 2.2 million cervical cancer screenings, and nearly 1 million HIV tests. These services prevent fatal illness; and for those who do have the misfortune to contract HIV/AIDS or cancer, Title X providers ensure that they receive life-saving treatment early, when it has the greatest potential for good.

The proposed cuts in H.R. 1 would eviscerate these life-saving services.

While these cuts to family planning were proposed under the guise of being ``fiscally responsible,'' that is far from the truth.

For every dollar invested in Title X family planning services, taxpayers save just under $4. Cutting family planning is not fiscally responsible, and will not reduce the bottom line.

Moreover, this cut has nothing to do with ending funding for abortions, despite claims to the contrary. Title X family planning funds simply do not fund abortions. If we want to reduce the number of abortions in this country, the methodology is clear--empower women to prevent unintended pregnancies through education and access to contraception. And, that is precisely what family planning funding does.

In my home State of New York, cuts to Planned Parenthood would impact 209,410 patients. Just last year, Planned Parenthood provided 70,490 screenings for cervical cancer in New York, detecting 7,931 abnormal results requiring medical action. Another 67,957 women received breast exams. 138,501 tests for chlamydia helped to avert the leading cause of preventable infertility in America today. New Yorkers stand to lose valuable health services.

Instead of cutting vital health care services, we should focus on rebuilding our economy and creating jobs.

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