Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)
WASHINGTON – Several representatives in Washington DC, including Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY-23), want to suspend funding for the Planned Parenthood due to the recent controversy surrounding the organization and allegations it was selling tissue and organs from aborted fetuses for medical research.
Congressman Tom Reed vote Friday in support of legislation that will temporarily suspend federal funding to Planned Parenthood, and divert the funding to other Federal Qualified Health Care Centers. Reed said that by doing so, the access to women’s healthcare throughout the region will be preserved while officials continue to investigate the allegations against planned parenthood.
The total vote was 241-187.
The second piece of legislation extends additional rights to children born as a result of a failed abortion and requires medical personnel involved in the procedure to do make every effort to save the life of the child. That bill passed 248-177.
The temporary funding suspension will be for one year providing the House Judiciary Committee with enough time to conclude its ongoing investigation into the alleged conduct.
Democrats said the proposed changes to the born-alive protection bill are overly broad, and intended to intimidate abortion providers out of practice.
President Obama has already said he plans to veto the legislation.
Tom Reed has spoken publicly about his family’s reliance on some of the services provided by Planned Parenthood. This suggests that Reed knows what Planned Parenthood does and does not do, and if he doesn’t, why doesn’t he? It is impossible to believe that Tom Reed believes the “controversial” video tapes are anything other than fraudulent, as proven in multiple investigations. He is pandering to his base, which apparently consists of the least informed, most misogynist members of our community. Tom Reed has failed western New York. We need a congressman who stands for truth, for science, and for reproductive rights.