Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011

Floor Speech

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Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Pence amendment. It's important to note that the Hyde amendment has been in place for decades. There's overwhelming support among the American people that we don't want our tax dollars used to subsidize or support abortion in any way. And people listening to the debate tonight, those on the floor, pro-life Democrats, no matter who you are, shouldn't be distracted by the discussion of the family, the health care services provided by the organization Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood could solve this public policy problem they've got by simply refusing to perform abortions. If they stop performing abortions this is not an issue. If Planned Parenthood would stop turning a blind eye or, at best, stop being indifferent to the criminal conduct that's been exposed at their facilities and lead the charge to see that criminal complaints are sworn out against people associated with Planned Parenthood or their employees engaged in criminal conduct, a lot of this problem would go away. All Planned Parenthood has to do is say they're going to stop performing abortions. And yet they won't do it.

This is not about the health care services that they provide in other areas. This is about the fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans do not want our tax dollars used to subsidize or pay for abortions. This is a very straightforward vote tonight for all of the Members of the House, whether or not you will vote to permit your constituents' tax dollars to be used to fund or subsidize abortion. That's the question before the House tonight. It's not complicated. And Planned Parenthood is not entitled to these dollars, these tax dollars. There's no punishment being given here. Planned Parenthood, we, as a Congress will make the public policy decision here tonight in this debate, in this vote, whether or not Planned Parenthood should continue to receive tax dollars. That's been decided for decades. No tax dollars should be used to subsidize or fund abortion. That's been the position of the Congress through the Hyde amendment for many, many decades, and we're continuing that tradition tonight by ensuring that no tax dollars flow through Obamacare, which, by the way, does allow our tax dollars to be used for abortion because what is not excluded is included, and the Obamacare bill allows for our tax dollars to be used for abortion by subsidizing exchange plans that provide coverage for abortion. Therefore, this vote is truly very simple. Will we, the Congress of the United States, permit our tax dollars to be used to subsidize or fund abortion? It's an up-or-down vote.

I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.

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