Aug. 28, 2015
HARRISBURG – Rep. Paul Schemel (R-Franklin) today issued the following statement in response to an email memo that was sent to members of the Pennsylvania Senate by Planned Parenthood asking them to reject a bill Schemel is sponsoring that would impact the government funding received by the organization.
“On Friday, Planned Parenthood quietly distributed a memo to Pennsylvania state senators encouraging them to oppose legislation that I am sponsoring in the House which will effectively end much of the government subsidy that Planned Parenthood receives in Pennsylvania. In the memo, Planned Parenthood offers a thinly veiled threat to lawmakers, asserting that opposing Planned Parenthood is unpopular with voters. As proof of this claim, Planned Parenthood cites a poll taken last May, conveniently before the release of the horrific videos which have captured national attention.
“Planned Parenthood goes on to argue that its clinics provide essential services to women who would otherwise have no access to health care. However, the facts show something much different. As a result of the Affordable Care Act, every woman is entitled to receive, without co-pay, such services in her own doctor’s office. In fact, it is a stated objective of the Affordable Care Act to encourage women to access such medical care at their primary care physician’s office so that care is provided in a manner consistent with other care which a patient may be receiving.
“My bill would reprioritize the spending of government money in a manner consistent with the Affordable Care Act. If my proposal threatens Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, then it needs to be prepared to explain why it is better for a woman not to go to her own doctor for care. As recent events have demonstrated, Planned Parenthood’s interests are not always in line with those of the women it purports to help.”
Schemel’s bill, which has not been introduced yet, would provide direction to the Pennsylvania Department of Health as to how it must prioritize the allocation of public funds for family planning purposes. Under the legislation, conventional health care providers would be favored over unconventional providers, such as Planned Parenthood. Public entities would receive the highest priority for receiving such funds, followed by non-public hospitals and federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics and non-public health providers that have their primary purpose as the provision of primary health care.
Schemel’s legislation currently has 10 co-sponsors.
Representative Paul Schemel
90th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Andy Briggs
717.260.6474
abriggs@pahousegop.com
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