Newspaper called the catholic reporter and they have some great story ideas to get as well lots of questions. Were they going to do about the language and if he gives speeches in spanish. So how are your organizations preparing for that . There is a lot of french and german speakers so we are in pretty a good shape that way. We do think there will be a great deal available spare mcfadyen is the idea to cover different ethnic groups. And hit it is growing among the hispanics are immigrant groups and look at where the church is a growing angelou the pope will try to send the message to. But maybe he will speak spanish to connect that makes for a great story. I will address this to the experienced the reporters on the panel. But to be there in the crowd . What equipment do you bring . How do you file your story . Etc. A crowd like this faith is not a problem. So the volume as restated earlier in the day the recorder but those are more likely and it has been easy and it is a shared a moment. Filing could be a bit of a problem if youre out on the mall obviously. You might want to preplan a coffeehouse of where you expect for that place to file. If you Cover Congress i would not bank on running outside and look for a place you can file even if it is against the wall early to avoid the tunnel of death. Just get to the mall early with as little as toughish possibly can. With the most recent inauguration was the cellphone tower overloaded you could not even been tweet something so you should be prepared for that. I had both my pad and phone with me when i was working in one that was not. But i never thought that i would say of the national mall. But it is something to think about. Even if you catch a disposable phone for that event. And whats a fair ratings . That is horrible. M a have a crowd like this with the march on washington i have never seen such a collection of umbrellas standing alongside his should prepare for that when the paper gets wet remember japan wont work some of the proponent to have a pencil with a little sharpener like did your schoolbag. Keep your eyes peeled for any mannerisms. Lake the parent and child but it is to take your eyes off and then what . What we want to accomplish is to let him as a multi dimensional human being an addition underneath all these trappings. What is he like . Along the lines of what to bring it is as much as you can and still be professional with comfortable shoes and clothing because if you spend time in washington is a temper it can be absolutely gorgeous or horrible you never know what you will get. You have to prepare for raid or sunshine or the cold blast. You dont want to be miserable. Hot were lucky he is coming in september instead of a january when one reporter got frostbite on her feet in 2009 inauguration. So be prepared with your own personal comfort. You may be required to be held for several hours or all day long. And it is a sport i i did not plan but a cat on a bicycle and i got to my office about 530 in the morning and i got to the hill, by 6 00 and i just waited then i went outside and started to interview people and i was out and tell the time that the president stopped speaking. That is how i planned for a larger defense as the all day in denver. There is no lastminute go here or go here. But to let them know what cannot be done logistically. Then they will say we heard there was of family can you go find them . [laughter] it isnt always that easy. Just to make that clear. I hate to say this but as a disaster reporter think through of a contingency plan if something bad happens and theres all kinds of bad from the stampede to a weather even and like last night in chicago where and a tent blew down and. How much a kid yourself, how are you thinking it through . And will be different depending upon your organization is to mix the have people coming in to town and to give them guidance. Has anybody seen the traffic map . It is road closures or anything around the mall. Probably not until it gets closer that is probably still being worked out. As you know, because with the d. C. Government sometimes they dont share the same idea of what is worthy to be closed so im sure there is negotiations going on about that. You expect inauguration type of closures . Yes. We knew those one week before now, mr. President on another matter the revelations weve seen from planned parenthood are deeply disturbing. They raise real fundamental questions about what kind of society we want to be. So i want to thank senators ernst, paul, lankford and a number of others for accepting my invitation to lead the effort on the senates response. The legislation they worked to develop is all about restoring americas commitment to care and to compassion. It would fund Womens Health, not planned parenthood. And well talk a vote to advance it tonight. Instead of subsidizing a Political Group this bill would protect federal funding for Health Services for women. Instead of subsidizing a Political Group this bill would ensure funds continue to flow to Community Health centers and hospitals that provide more comprehensive Health Services and may have many, many more facilities nationwide. And instead of subsidizing a Political Group this bill would help women receive Health Services like screenings, prenatal and postnatal care, well child care, diagnostic laboratory and Radiology Services immunizations and other care that they need. Now, that, mr. President is a true commitment to Womens Health. That is real compassion. I know democrats have relied on planned parenthood as an ally recently but they must be moved by the horrifying images weve all seen. They must be shocked by the utter lack of compassion thats been on display. They must care about Womens Health as much as they care about some scandalplagued political organization. Thats why tonight im asking them to truly reflect on whats important. Im asking them mott to not to block this funding for Womens Health just to protect some Political Group mired in scandal. Women deserve better, and our mr. Reid heres an excerpt from the article in the Republican Leaders hometown newspaper, the louisville courier journal. I quote. Sarah hall started going to planned parenthood when she was in her late teens and needed Birth Control. She had gotten her care there ever since. Without them, i wouldnt have to doctor to see. I dont know where i would have gone. It would have meant i couldnt get the care i need. Close quote. Like sarah millions millions of american women depend on planned parenthood for muchneeded Health Services. Every year planned parenthood helps women just like sarah with Important Services they need, such as Birth Control measures. But its more than just Birth Control. Here are can just a few just a few of the Health Services that planned parenthood provides to american women and they did it for example in 20136789 half a million women went to planned parenthood for Breast Cancer screening. 400,000 women receive cervical exam from planned parenthoods medical staff. And 4. 5 million treatments an tests for sexually transmitted disease and infections were performed. Yet here we are once again faced with another republican attempt to limit womens access to health care. A few hours from now the senate will vote on a republican bill to defund planned parenthood. Lets understand what that vote means. Defunding planned parenthood would limit american women access to critical Health Services like contraception breast and cancer screenings, and wellwomen visits. This legislation is just another republican attack on the health care of millions of women like sarah from kentucky. Over the past months, republicans have worked to trick american women into believing that republicans dont really want to limit womens access to contraception contraceptives or other critical Health Services provided by planned parenthood. Votes like the one were going to take in a couple hours lay bear the truth. The cold, hard fact is that a vote to defund planned parenthood is a vote to limit access of women to cancer screenings contraceptives, a and other Important Services planned parenthood provides. Our nation is already facing a shortage of primary care providers. For many women, planned parenthood is their preferred medical provider. One in five american women will go to planned parenthood for services at sometime during their lives. Defunding planned parenthood will reduce the number of providers they have for women to receive contraceptives, other critical Health Services, it would reduce womens success to good health, and more importantly their access to care, which is very direct and to the point. To put it another way the demand for care would still exist, but there would be fewer providers to render this care. And for many women, planned parenthood may be the only provider where they can seek medical help. Republicans are trying to eliminate their access to Health Centers. Last thursday i listened to the senior senator from texas where he claimed that this bill that were going to vote on soon would actually increase access to care for women. Im surprised. This is a distinguished member of the senate, longtime member of the Texas Supreme Court that he would Say Something like that. He and other republicans believe, i guess that clinics like Community Health centers will pick up the slack should planned parenthood be defunded. That is simply not true. I am a strong supporter of Community Health centers. Its part of the Obamacare Affordable Care act because i believe in Community Health centers. We wrote billions of dollars in that bill and during the years its been in existence its done so much, but we still have far far much to do. There arent enough Community Health centers even with what weve done to increase their ability to make the current to meet the current demand, and to throw in a few more women who would be knocked out of planned parenthood in the pejorative term, it would be millions of women is wrong. The director of Womens Health policy at Kaiser Foundation says and i quote across the nation Community Health centers are already at capacity. Take a look, for example, at the Republican Leaders, assistant Republican Leaders home state of texas. A recent report from George Washington university detailed what it would take for other providers to replace planned parenthood. Exactly what the senior senator from texas has suggested. Take, for example in Midland County texas, there would have to be an increase of 537 by nonplanned parenthood clinics if planned parenthood is defunded. In lubbock county, it would see an increase of 250 . Community Health Centers cant handle that or in Dallas County where there is almost a 200 increase. What the republican legislation does is make it nearly impossible for women who need medical attention to get the care they need. And if women cant go get health care from planned parenthood, where do they go . Take a look at what happened in the state of indiana in 2011 when the States Legislature voted to deny state funding for planned parenthood Health Centers. Republicans then argued that other Health Care Providers would bridge the gap. Other providers would take care of those women just fine. So what are those other Health Care Providers for women that republicans said would take the place of states planned parenthood Health Centers . Prisons listen to this. Prisons they suggested. Juvenile Detention Centers and homeless shelters. These are certainly not the kinds of places our republican colleagues would want to send their daughters sisters or wives for care. If you take away planned parenthood Health Centers women will have no ability to access care and most will go without the care they need. The republican senior senator from maine agrees. Heres what she said and i quote the problem is in my state and many others, planned parenthood is the primary provider of Health Services in certain parts of our state for women. So i dont know how you would ensure that all patients at planned parenthood would be absorbed by alternative care providers. In nevada, planned Parenthood Centers there serve about 22,000 patients a year. Where do these patients go if the republicans legislation works . I dont know. They wont get the care they need, thats for sure. Senate republicans are not being fair to american women. Theyre trying to shift the responsibility to someone who doesnt exist. Its our responsibility in the senate to assure that american women have access to care. Its our obligation to protect our wives our sisters our daughters, our granddaughters and protect them from the absurd policies. The Republican Party has lost its morale compass. Today Senate Republicans will do just that. The planned parenthood bill isnt going anywhere in the senate. Senate democrats will fight vigorously this and any other attempt from republicans to deprive american printed in the record. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Cornyn madam president as the presiding officer knows we will have a very important vote about an hour and a half from now on a bill that would eliminate taxpayer funding for abortions consistent with four decades of u. S. Law. And, contrary to the comments made by our friend from oregon who just spoke rather than withhold those funds it would take that same amount of money and redirect it for womens Health Services and actually give them better access to Health Services at the same time time. In other words this legislation will fund Womens Health care. But not abortions on the taxpayers dime. I particularly wnts to thank the senator i particularly want to thank the senator senator ernst, senator lankford and senator paul for their leadership on this issue. This is the beginning of the fight to regain americas conscience and the fight to restore the law thats been on the books for 40 years when it comes to taxpayer funding of abortions. We all understand that the Supreme Court in roe v. Wade has held that abortion is a right, but we also know that there is a rare area where there is a consensus between prochoice and prolife people, like myself. And that is, we draw the line and have since 1976, when when it comes to taxpayer funding of abortions. Of course, what brought us here to this point most immediately was because our collective conscience was shocked by videos depicting planned parenthood executives discussing the harvesting and sale of the organs of unborn babies, an abhorrent, disgusting practice that we cannot ignore. Perhaps the only thing more shocking than the actual dismembering of unborn children for sale is the cavalier attitude by the planned parenthood staff who seem to have sacrificed their humanity and show so little regard for the sanctity of human life. What was shown in these videos is an outrage and it demands our action. Now, many of our colleagues from across the aisle have cited their own disapproval of whats presented in these videos, and theyll be given an opportunity at 5 30 when we vote on the motion to proceed to get on this bill to demonstrate that their actions actually match their words. According to one report, the junior senator from indiana said he found the comments by planned parenthood personnel in the video disgraceful and similarly, the junior senator from virginia has said he found the videos extremely troubling. When asked about the videos last week former secretary of state Hillary Clinton also called them disturbing and they are. So, madam president like our recent successful bipartisan efforts to fight the scourge of human trafficking, we have a rare opportunity to make a difference and address the moral imperative to defend those who cannot defend themselves. And its important because ive already heard some of our colleagues misrepresent whats in the bill, to remind everybody what this bill actually does. First and foremost, this eliminates federal funding from one of the countrys largest Abortion Providers, planned parenthood. In fiscal year 2014, planned parenthood performed 327,653 abortions. At the same time, planned parenthood received 528 million from federal taxpayers. Planned parenthood reported revenue in fiscal year 2014 of 1. 1 billion. In other words almost half of its income came from tax dollars from the effect. At the same time, they perform 327, 653 abortions. Now, youll hear some of our friends who are defending planned parenthood say oh, well this is different because the money is kept separate. But we know that money that comes from the federal government can keep the lights on and keep the doors open, so the abortions can continue to be performed. And it is simply a fiction to claim that federal tax dollars are not supporting conduct proscribed by the Hyde Amendment for the last 40 years. We dont stop there though. When it comes in this legislation. As i mentioned at the outset, we would actually redirect the money to ensure that taxpayer dollars that once went to planned parenthood now go to provide for Womens Health, like in thousands of Community Health Centers Across the country. Im a big fan of Community Health centers because they really represent onestop shopping when it comes to primary Health Care Needs. And the ironic thing is we can actually provide better access, more access for women by transferring the money from planned parenthood to Community Health centers and other nonAbortion Providers. For example in my state, we have as many as eight times more Community Health centers as there are planned parenthood providers. So we can provide women with eight times more opportunity to see that their Health Care Needs are taken care of and, at the same time, respect the law that prohibits tax dollars to be used for abortions and to support abortions. According to data from 2013, the most recently available nationwide every state in the country has more Community Health centers than planned parenthood clinics. Ill just since i didnt want to mention all 50 of them here that would be a little overwhelming and be hard to read at the same time i just picked out two states, along with the nationwide statistic 13 Community Health centers to every one planned parenthood provider that would still be able to provide primary Health Care Services to women under this legislation. But if you look at indiana, for example, indiana you would have four times more providers under this legislation. And in the state of virginia, 20 times more providers by simply defunding planned parenthood, the Abortion Provider, using tax dollars and transferring that money to Community Health centers. You could actually provide greater access for Womens Health care. So lets be clear because i suspect, as ive already heard when i came to the floor, there will be a lot of misrepresentation about whats in the bill, but we need to be clear. This legislation defends Womens Health and it ensures womens women access across the country to essential Health Services. As i said a few moments ago madam president in many respects the debate that were having has already been was already decided in 1976, the year of the Hyde Amendment named after henry hyde. Which as my colleagues all know prevents taxpayer dollars from going to abortions except in some rare circumstances. We talked about that a lot during the course of the antihuman trafficking bill, but this has been the law of the land for 40 years. So i would strongly encourage all of our colleagues to vote to get on this bill. An organization that so callously reduces our most vulnerable to spare sparts parts for sale has no business receiving money from the federal taxpayers. If people want to raise money from other private sources to support this effort, then let them do that. But tax dollars are not available and should not be available to fund planned parenthoods abortion practice, again the largest single Abortion Provider in america. While many of our colleagues on the other side have agreed that the vial practices that weve witnessed in these videos are disturbing still some have tried to put off having this discussion at all. I think what would be the biggest failure on our part, no matter what the outcome of our vote on the underlying legislation, but would be to fail to have this discussion and this debate for the American People to hear so we can get their input. That would be a real travesty is if we shut off debate because 60 senators didnt see fit to vote to get on the bill, and that vote again well be having in an hour roughly an hour an 15 minutes. There are others who say we simply have more important things to do. I disagree. For example the senior senator from new york said consideration of this bill was quote wasting valuable time and that we should instead start urgent budget negotiations. Really . Really . I hardly know what to say. To those who share my disgust for the conduct depicted in these videos and agree that their disgraceful disturbing and extremely troubling how can you now turn around and refuse to vote with us to get on this legislation so we can have that discussion so we can have that debate and so we can vote our conscience . If your conscience is shocked by the footage in these videos, i really cant see how anybody could possibly vote no on this legislation at 5 30 when we vote to get on the bill. Somehow we as a nation have been lulled into a sense of complacency and have become somehow so desensitized to these barbaric practices depicted in these videos that it no longer stimulates us to act. But today we have a chance on behalf of the American People, the people we collectively represent, to act and to act in a way that protects the mall be vitiated. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Paul there comes a time in the history of nations when a civilized people must stand up and decide whether or not life is important, whether or not life is Something Special and whether or not theres maybe something greater than just us that has to do with life. It sickens me to me whats been going on with planned parenthood. Some of my first memories of my children were the ultrasound that i saw before they were born. We still keep those. We now find out though, that this technology that can do wonders, that can save babies, you can perform surgery now in the uterus and the baby can survive, these same techniques that are being used by planned parenthood to manipulate the baby into a position to harvest the babys organs. I think all america should be sickened by this, but it should also trouble us if we are a society thats not sickened by this and i think the time to come has come to have a fullthroated debate about this, and the time has come to end all taxpayer funding for planned parenthood. Some will say well, where will people get their health . We have 9,000 Community Health centers and 700 planned parenthood clinics. The only difns is difference is abortion. In fact, you can get many things at a Community Health center you cant get at planned parenthood. But the only thing you get at planned parenthood that you cant get anywhere else is abortion. This debate isnt just about abortion. This debate is about little babies who havent given their consent. And i. T. About its about time we had a debate in our country about this and its about time we said enough is enough. The question is, can a civil civilization long endure that doesnt respect life . Do we lose Everything Else about what makes us human if were unwilling to protect life . Can we stand up and defend our other rights if were not willing to stand up and defend the most basic of rights . So i come here today to ask my fellow senators to vote to defund planned parenthood, and i hope they will. Floor. The presiding officer without objection. So ordered. Mr. Lankford mr. President , i would like to first interchange into a colloquy with senator daines. This is an area thats extremely passionate to many of us that are here in this body to be able to talk about planned parenthood, what is going on, and the basic issue about children. Now, this has been spun multiple different ways, but really this is not about a lot of other issues other than one thing this is about children, children that are recognizable out of the wound that once theyve been carved out and set out on a table for their parts can be seen. What are we doing where are we headed, what is this vote all about this evening and what is this debate that should begin here in america about what happens with planned parenthood . I would like to entertain a conversation with senator daines. Mr. Daines i want to thank the senator from oklahoma, thank you for having this colloquy here today. Because i do believe we are at a cross shcrossroads. With this vote that well have in about 20 minutes we have a choice set before us, one that each one of us must make as a senator, and one that each american must make with us. With a yes vote this yes vote is to defund planned parenthood we reaffirm our dedication to Womens Health. In fact, we recommit every dollar made available to support things like well baby care, like cervical and Breast Cancer screenings like prenatal and postpartumpost parpost par couplepostpostpartum screening. And relevant diagnostic laboratory and Radiology Services. This bill doesnt take a single dollar away from Womens Health. I think its very important as we debate this decision in front of us that it doesnt get caught up with rhetoric. Lets focus on the facts on what this does and what is it doesnt do. This is a vote about our culture. This is a vote about our ethics. And, most importantly and i say this as a daddy of four children two boys and two girls this is about the value of our children. Because over the last few weeks weve seen these videos. Americans have been horrified of highlevel highlevel planned parenthood executives who are callously discussing the price of baby organs harvested from the tiny bodies of aborted babies. In fact, just last week we witnessed an abortion doctor poking through the pieces of this tiny and broken body. He was pointing out the heart and the lungs and discussing what each of them should cost when sold. Meanwhile exclaiming it is a baby. And weve heard some of the arguments here today about well, this is about the womans body. We respect the body of the woman, and we want to make sure that the Proper Services are allowed to protect a womans health. But this is not about the womans body. This is about a different body with a different d. N. A. This is about a little baby. A baby that now has a price not just on its head but on literally every part, as these videos exposed. When we place a price on the outcome of the destruction of our children, we incentivize it. In another setting, we would call this priceperspecimen arrangement a bounty scheme. Because with poe teption potential for such financial gain, theres Little Wonder why there are 149 abortions to every one adoption referral at these clinics. 149 abortions to every one adoption referral at these clinics. And the discussions we heard are not exceptions or even the actions of a single clinic. This is a systemic issue with planned parenthood. We heard direct testimony that clinics act in concert with the consent of their Corporate Headquarters at planned parenthood that no single clinic acts alone. We learned that an overarching Legal Department that works to build layers upon layers of defenses so that no one clinic is left holding the bag. Such a culture shows little regard for Womens Health. This is a culture that has been embroiled in a number of lawsuits about making false reimbursement claims to the federal government and helping to facilitate the covering up of sexual abuse and statutory rape. In fact, just last week a complaint was filed with the Colorado Department of regulatory agencies against one of these clinics regarding a little 13yearold girl who was sexually abused, had an abortion and was returned to her abuser. No report was made by the clinic or the abortionist. Her parents were not contacted all in violation of the laws of colorado. So a no vote on this bill supports this culture. It devalues both the woman and that tiny, little baby, that child. So we do have a choice today. We can work to change that culture if we choose to vote for women, if we would choose to vote yes. Because a yes vote redirects again lets get the facts straight here and separate it from the rhetoric. A yes vote redirects funds from planned parenthood and provides that money for womens Health Services to the numerous Community Health centers. You heard senator paul talk about 9,000 Community Clinics around the country versus 700 planned Parenthood Centers. It would provide these dollars to those clinics to local clinics, to hospitals to other providers who already serve the majority of women. And i must tell you, i was deeply disturbed as a daddy of four in this most recent video where the doctor pokes around the abboaterrive baby aborted baby parts until she shouts exclaims its another boy. There is no doubt what she is saying. I heard those words for the first time during ultra sound when cindy and were seeing the doctor when she was pregnant, where that ecstatic phone call that comes from an expecting mom or as a new father takes that newborn son into his arms. That doctor was the same one to say its a baby. There is no doubt that this is what the little boy is. Its a baby. I cannot support an organization that would place a dollar amount on body parts. I cannot support an organization that would incentivize his death. And that is why i will vote for this bill. And my vote will be a vote for Womens Health. And to be very clear this bill wont touch one cent of funding for Womens Health. Not one cent. That means that this vote is for one thing and one thing only. A yes vote is a vote for women. It is a vote for our children. And i urge my colleagues, let us vote for women. Let us vote for our children. Let us vote yes. Mr. Lankford mr. President this ongoing conversation has happened. I would like to be able to demonstrate a little bit of what were really up against and what this really looks like in practical terms. I brought a chart with me here. When we talk about Womens Health theres been this accusation thats sitting out there that this is about cutting off access to Womens Health. The chart that i have here, the one on the right here shows all the planned parenthood licensed mammogram facilities. They would be a dot on this map. If youre looking close on the map you would see no dots on it. Its clear theres not a single one. And the accusation is over and over again if women are going to get access to mammograms, they have to be able to get to planned parenthood. The dirty secret is they refer to other locations. They recommend that you go get a mammogram but planned parenthood doesnt do any of them. On the left here, these are the 8,000plus facilities here on the dots on the map here where you can actually get a mammogram. Were talking about taking funding from a location that refers to it to the location that actually does the mammogram this is about Womens Health, but its also about the health of children. And i have a very difficult time talking about things like Early Childhood education on this floor with individuals that are passionate about Early Childhood education, but if that child was just a couple of years younger they would have no issue with them being aborted and their body parts being sold. Thats the same child. That is the same child that were passionate about the Early Childhood education thats the same child that were passionate about the women and infant and children funding to make sure they get proper nutrition at birth. That is the same child. The only difference between that child in the womb and the child thats a preschooler is time. We just think its extremely important in this incredibly divisive issue of abortion that we treat this seriously as a nation. And what has happened in the last couple of weeks in the planned parenthood videos coming out is for the first time in a long time this is not an invisible thing thats happening somewhere in secret. Now it is something thats actually happening where people can see it. And i think our culture for the first time in a while is having to slow down and deal with the reality of is it possible that this culture has been wrong that that really is a child . I talked last week to a friend of mine that his child was born a year ago at 14 ounces. 14 ounces was their birthweight. Born very, very premature. The child is now 14 pounds a year later and doing extremely well. That 14ounce child is a child that everyone sees now. But that 14ounce child is exactly what planned parenthood was harvesting, was turning in the womb so they could crush the head and to be able to gather the organs to be able to sell. We as a culture have got to deal with this one simple reality. That child is important. This is not about cecil the lion. This is not about whales at sea world. This is about children. Maybe we as a culture should slow down and be able to answer that one simple question. But at least for this moment with planned parenthood to say to an organization where there are a couple of things that are hanging over them right now that are very serious. One is its not legal under federal law to sell the parts of a human for profit. Thats still yet to be determined what was done. But its also not legal to be able to change the timing, procedure or method of an abortion to be able to gather organs to be sold. That is very clear in federal law as well. So if the method is changed, if the timing is changed, if the procedure is changed specifically to harvest organs, thats not legal. And in the videos, over and over again you hear doctors talking about how they changed the method how they used the ultra sound to turn the child around, how they used a different technique than they would have normally done because they wanted to be able to gather these organs for sale. Those are serious accusations. These are children. And we think its entirely reasonable to say lets take the funding that has been committed to planned parenthood, who is the singlelargest Abortion Provider in the country. 40 of their revenue comes from the federal taxpayer. 40 . For the singlelargest provider of abortion in the country to stop and to say lets take that funding, lets commit it to organizations that do full Womens Health. Mammograms testing contraceptives the works. Not just recommending it others, and also do abortions. But that we would commit it to those individuals. I would like to be able to yield to the senator from louisiana in this colloquy. Then i see my colleague as well from california that i think she would also like to have a moment. Would you like to be able to speak a moment in our colloquy . Mrs. Boxer i was going to ask unanimous consent that following my colleague from louisiana i be given two minutes. Mr. Lankford can we swap and give it to you now . Mrs. Boxer whatever you want. Mr. Lankford i ask unanimous consent for ongoing colloquy. Id be glad to have you join in this conversation. Mrs. Boxer i want to thank my friend for his generosity here. I tell you id really rather work with you on transportation. I gave birth to two premature kids and i just dont like lectures by men about what its like. Thank god they made it. Im prochoice, and i just have to say using pregnancy as a political football doesnt site well with the people doesnt sit well with the people i represent and the people of this country. We have to respect one another. I respect your view entirely. Im asking you to respect mine. Keep uncle sam out of my private life and my childrens and my grandkids and yours. Families will make these decisions with their god with their doctor. And 97 of the work planned parenthood does has nothing to do with abortion. Its primary health care. May i put my entire statement in the record on that point . The presiding officer without objection. Mrs. Boxer and do you know i have to say in 2011, republicans threatened to shut down the government if planned parenthood wasnt defunded. And i heard my friend from washington patty murray, say they were serious. They were going to shut down the government to deny health care to 2. 7 million women and men every year, some of them basic health care. Ill show you a particular person here. This is doreen from california. I went to planned parenthood and i talked to the clinician. She gave me a referral to a Breast Care Center where i had a mammogram and a biopsy, was ultimately diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I was scheduled for a lumpectomy in two weeks. That woman could have died. You say go to Emergency Care centers . Most of you voted no on obamacare. I ask unanimous consent to place in the record a Community Health care center in california, mr. President , who says they cannot take any more patients. They cannot take that, 700,000 patients. So they say to the women go to Community Health care centers. They voted against obamacare expanded the Community Health care centers and the Community Health care centers are saying, no were sorry. We cant do it. Planned parenthood does a great job. So this is a continuation of the republican war on women and i hope well defeat this illconsidered bill thats about to come our way. Thank you. The presiding officer without objection, the request of the senator from california to insert into the record will be done so. Mr. Lankford mr. President , i want to be able to continue this conversation because it is extremely important we continue this as a nation. Just to make a couple of comments here as well. Im a dad of two daughters. I had something to do with the birth as well and was also there. I was there during the sonograms my wife and i are extremely close. And to be a dad of two daughters, im very passionate not only about my own wife, but about my mom, who is a cancer survivor multiple time cancer survivor. Im passionate about my daughters having every single opportunity. So this is important to us as well. This is not just a womens issue. This is a mens issue as well, because this is a family issue. And family is extremely important to all of us. But i would say this, Community Health centers dont serve 2. 3 Million People like planned parenthood. Community Health Centers serve 23 Million People around the country. There are around 650 planned parenthood locations around the country. There are 9,000 Community Health centers around the country. In the planned parenthood facilities refer people to go get Breast Cancer screening. The Community Health centers do that testing there. They actually do the mammogram there, not just say that you should get one. This is about Womens Health but its also about efficiency of what were going to be about. I would also say one other thing, mr. President on that. I would say this issue about obamacare and Community Health centers, the Community Health centers were funding obamacare but they long preexist obamacare. Community Health Centers are not an invention of obamacare. There was a section of obamacare that funded some of them an additional amount, but they have been around for decades and decades. Theyre an extremely efficient form of health care, especially to those on medicaid. Id like to be able to recognize a friend and a fellow senator from louisiana. Mr. Vitter mr. President . The presiding officer the senator from louisiana. Mr. Perdue thank you mr. President. Im a physician a doctor, for the last 25 years ive worked in hospitals for the uninsured. So my friend from california mentioned the need to ensure access to those who might not otherwise afford. That is why mr. Cassidy that is what ive been attempting to do for the last 25 years. As a physician, one of the first things youre taught to do is first do no harm. Tragically some of these videos demonstrate some do not share that perspective. When patients see their doctor, they want an honest, objective opinion. But what the video suggests is that planned parenthood puts profit and special interests before the women who call on them for advice. The presiding officer the senator should be advised that the time for the vote scheduled at 5 30 has arrived. He can ask unanimous consent for additional time if he so wishes. Mr. Cassidy if i could have unanimous consent for another two minutes . The presiding officer is there objection . Without objection. Mr. Cassidy now again for 30 years, i have been working to get health care for folks and so i think it is important that we ensure access to women for health care. Currently planned parenthood gets 500 million in federal funding per year. If we redirect this fund into the Community Health centers which i have worked with for 30 years, their health can be better served. There are two planned parenthoods in louisiana and there is 160 Community Health centers. The two planned parenthoods one in new orleans one in baton rouge, the southeastern portion of the state. The Community Health centers are scattered all over the state. Again, there is 160. So for every american who is troubled by these videos, we should be equally troubled by the fact that the planned parenthood provision of health care is is geographically centered in some areas but not as broadly as the Community Health centers. I will also point out as a physician that the planned parenthood model of care is outdated. We now talk about clinics which are medical homes not which are siloed into only the provision of of Birth Control pills and in the case of planned parenthood abortion. The Community Health centers can provide the whole range of Services Including that for diabetes hypertension, et cetera. It is time for congress to act. I ask my colleagues to support this redistribution of money to closer to where those patients live to better ensure a womans access to health care and to address the troubling issues raised by these videos. I yield back. A senator mr. President . The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mrs. Ernst i ask unanimous consent for one additional minute. Mrs. Boxer reserving the right to object. I wont object if senator blumenthal can respond with one minute. The presiding officer is there objection . The senator from iowa. Mrs. Ernst mr. President the question before us today is clear. Who do we want to be as a nation . It is hard for anyone to defend these morally reprehensible videos as planned parenthood callously harvested the organs of unborn babies to be sold at a price. The American People, republicans and democrats alike are horrified by the blatant disregard and utter lack of compassion shown by planned parenthood for these women and their babies. Its wrong. The American People know it, and they should be not asked to foot part of the bill. We can no longer turn a blind eye. This is human life, and planned parenthood the nations single largest provider of Abortion Services is harvesting baby body parts. So before you now is a critical opportunity to vote for legislation that will protect the most vulnerable in our society and fund
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