Government Shut Down and DEFUNDING Planned Parenthood.

Thank you letter  to Official Candidate Responders below:
​Senator Debbie Stabenow (D), Senator Gary Peters (D), Representative Bill Huizenga (R)

Question: Are you in favor of shutting down the government over defunding Planned Parenthood?

​Original Letter
The MceZ Core Principle for September is INTEGRITY!
Open Letter 
September 1, 2015 
Subject: Defunding Planned Parenthood and Government Shutdown 

Dear Senator/Representative____________,

Are you in favor of shutting down the government over defunding Planned Parenthood?
I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Eunice Beck
MceZ.org
​MceZ Policy and Disclaimer Statement

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D)
Senator Debbie Stabenow <senator@stabenow.senate.gov>

10/8/15

Dear Eunice, 
Thank you for contacting me about your support for family planning services. I share your view.
Family planning is remarkably effective in ensuring the health of women and children and reducing the number of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and abortions. Women's health clinics provide many of these family planning services as well as preventive cancer screening and primary care. That is why I am committed to protecting women's access to these services and have called on my colleagues to do the same.
I am deeply concerned about proposals that would cut off support for women's health centers like Planned Parenthood or add burdensome restrictions on access to abortion services. As Congress continues to debate these issues, you can count on me to continue the fight to protect the women's health and family planning services that save lives and improve the health of both women and children.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please continue to keep me informed about issues of concern to you and your family.
Sincerely, 

Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator 
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow
The United States Senate • Washington, DC 20510
stabenow.senate.gov 

Senator Gary Peters (D)
From: Senator Gary Peters
Sent: Thursday, January 7, 2016 5:09 PM
Subject: Thank you for your message 

January 7, 2016 
​
Dear Doris,
    Thank you for contacting me regarding Planned Parenthood. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to express your views on this important matter. Your input is, and will always be, welcomed and appreciated. 
    Planned Parenthood is an organization that provides critical medical services to women in Michigan and across the country, including prenatal care, physicals, and cancer screenings that they might not otherwise be able to access. One in five women have relied on Planned Parenthood health centers at some point in their lifetime.  Planned Parenthood provides women, particularly those in rural and medically underserved areas, with access to much-needed preventive health care. Over half of Planned Parenthood's 700 health centers nationwide are located in rural and medically underserved areas, and 11 of Michigan's 21 Planned Parenthood health centers serve these communities as well.  
    It has been settled federal law for decades that federal funds to Planned Parenthood, or any federally funded organization, cannot be used for abortion. Instead, more than 90% of the care Planned Parenthood health centers offer is preventive, including nearly 400,000 lifesaving screenings for cervical cancer and almost 500,000 breast exams. 
    On August 3, 2015, I voted to stop the Senate from moving forward with S. 1881, a bill introduced by Senator Ernst to prohibit federal funding of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. This bill would jeopardize access to health care for the 2.7 million Americans who rely on Planned Parenthood for their health care needs. A woman has a fundamental right to make her own decisions about her reproductive health. Across the country, we have seen the adoption of extreme measures that restrict a woman's fundamental right to make her own decisions on reproductive health, including in Michigan. A woman should have access to reproductive health services and the freedom to make her own decisions about her health care.
    Instead of attempting to restrict access to health care, it is my hope that the U.S. Senate can instead focus on crafting bipartisan agreements to fund the government, provide certainty to American employers and workers, support our small businesses, and grow the middle class. 
    Thank you again for contacting me. I always enjoy hearing from constituents and hope that you take the time to contact me again soon. For more information, please feel free to visit my website, http://www.peters.senate.gov.

Sincerely,
Gary C. Peters
United States Senator ​

Representative Bill Huizenga (R)
Congressman Bill Huizenga <mi02bhima@mail.house.gov>
10/1/15 

Dear Ms. Beck:

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for Planned Parenthood. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome this opportunity to respond.

It is well documented that Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion provider, hurting women, and destroying lives. Every two minutes Planned Parenthood takes the life of another unborn child.

Many Americans have long understood that abortion is not humane. For years, however, its defenders have sought to dehumanize abortion by calling it a medical procedure that should be "safe, legal, and rare." Recent revelations lifted the veil of secrecy surrounding the abortion industry's practices and exposed its atrocities for what they are – the unquestionably gruesome ending of human life.

A little over two years ago, Americans saw inside abortionist Kermit Gosnell's "house of horrors." He was later convicted of killing children who survived botched abortions and taking the life of one of his adult patients. Americans were further shocked to see videos of Planned Parenthood officials discussing the stomach churning practice of altering abortions to harvest and sell body parts from unborn children while haggling over the price. While Kermit Gosnell remains in prison, Planned Parenthood continues to receive funding from American taxpayers.

The sale of fetal body parts for profit is illegal. It is also illegal to change the procedure of an abortion in order to preserve fetal tissue. Today, three House committees are examining Planned Parenthood's actions to determine the scale and scope of their illegal activity. According to the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO), Planned Parenthood and its affiliates receive $500 million in taxpayer dollars annually. Any group under investigation for illegal activity should be prohibited from receiving taxpayer dollars.

To that end, the House passed the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, that I co-sponsored, to impose a one-year moratorium on all taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood. This will allow adequate time for a thorough Congressional investigation.

During the moratorium, funding for women's health will continue to be invested into other sources, including community health centers and Title X clinics. By redirecting funds away from Planned Parenthood, an organization that puts its financial interests ahead of women and children, we are investing more wisely in women's health. 

In Michigan, there are 20 qualified health clinics for every Planned Parenthood location. Instead of allowing these atrocities to continue, let's eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood and invest those dollars in federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to ensure women receive high quality medical care and protect the life of the unborn.

You also might be interested to learn that H.R. 719, the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2016 recently passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 277-151. I opposed this bill because it busts through the non-defense discretionary spending caps by $2.7 billion and fully funds Planned Parenthood.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to write or call me in the future.

Sincerely,
Bill Huizenga
Member of Congress  

Follow -up questions to response from Representative Bill Huizenga (R) 

The MceZ Core Principle for October is INTELLECTUAL DIVERSITY!
Open Letter 
October 21, 2015
Subject: Defunding Planned Parenthood and Government Shutdown 

Dear Congressman Huizenga:

Thank you for your response to the question sent October 1, 2015: Are you in favor of shutting down the government over defunding Planned Parenthood. 

You write, “It is well documented that Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion provider, hurting women, and destroying lives. Every two minutes Planned Parenthood takes the life of another unborn child.” 

Please provide the data or evidence and its source supporting the validity of the statements “Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion provider” and “Every 2 minutes Planned Parenthood takes the life of another unborn child.” 

You also write, “Many Americans have long understood that abortion is not humane. Recent revelations lifted the veil of secrecy surrounding the abortion industry's practices and exposed its atrocities for what they are – the unquestionably gruesome ending of human life.”

Is it correct to infer from your statement, “For years, however, its defenders have sought to dehumanize abortion by calling it a medical procedure that should be "safe, legal, and rare.", that a woman's legal right to choose a "safe, legal, and rare" medical procedure that impacts her and her family's life and future should be legally secondary to an unborn fetus that cannot survive outside the woman's body? Or are you implying that women who choose to exercise this legal right are not capable of understanding their individual situations while making this deeply personal and difficult decision requiring you and the government to make it for them thereby insulting and belittling a woman's intelligence and ability to make her own choices? 

Please provide the evidence and sources of those “Recent revelations that have lifted the veil of secrecy surrounding the abortion industry's practices and exposed its atrocities for what they are—the unquestionably gruesome ending of human life.” 

Please define who or what is the “abortion industry”. 

You state, “A little over two years ago, Americans saw inside abortionist Kermit Gosnell's "house of horrors." He was later convicted of killing children who survived botched abortions and taking the life of one of his adult patients. Americans were further shocked to see videos of Planned Parenthood officials discussing the stomach churning practice of altering abortions to harvest and sell body parts from unborn children while haggling over the price. While Kermit Gosnell remains in prison, Planned Parenthood continues to receive funding from American taxpayers.”

One can argue that comparing the legal services provided to women and men by Planned Parenthood with the atrocious and illegal acts of Kermit Gosnell is inflammatory and irresponsible. It underestimates the intelligence of citizens and taxpayers who are looking for reasonable arguments on the issue.

Further you write, “The sale of fetal body parts for profit is illegal. It is also illegal to change the procedure of an abortion in order to preserve fetal tissue. Today, three House committees are examining Planned Parenthood's actions to determine the scale and scope of their illegal activity. According to the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO), Planned Parenthood and its affiliates receive $500 million in taxpayer dollars annually. Any group under investigation for illegal activity should be prohibited from receiving taxpayer dollars.” In addition, your position is, “To that end, the House passed the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, that I co-sponsored, to impose a one-year moratorium on all taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood. This will allow adequate time for a thorough Congressional investigation.”

One can argue that based on this statement and in opposition to our justice system, Planned Parenthood is considered guilty until proven innocent. Please provide the evidence to justify this seeming perversion. Also, one can argue that for Congress to spend hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to conduct a criminal investigation that could be appropriately placed under the jurisdiction of the Justice Department while at the same time imposing a one-year moratorium on all taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood is a misuse and abuse of taxpayer dollars and an attack on women, women's health and women's rights under the law. 

You further state, “During the moratorium, funding for women's health will continue to be invested into other sources, including community health centers and Title X clinics. By redirecting funds away from Planned Parenthood, an organization that puts its financial interests ahead of women and children, we are investing more wisely in women's health.” and, “In Michigan, there are 20 qualified health clinics for every Planned Parenthood location. Instead of allowing these atrocities to continue, let's eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood and invest those dollars in federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to ensure women receive high quality medical care and protect the life of the unborn”

Please provide the 1) names, 2) locations, 3) religious affiliation, 4) services, and 5) cost 6) insurance requirements for the community health centers, Title X clinics, the 20 qualified health clinics and Planned Parenthood Health Centers. Providing thorough and complete information would be appreciated. A spread sheet would suffice.

Lastly, you conclude with the statement that, “You also might be interested to learn that H.R. 719, the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2016 recently passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 277-151. I opposed this bill because it busts through the non-defense discretionary spending caps by $2.7 billion and fully funds Planned Parenthood.”

Thank you for this information; however, one can argue that your voting against this bill and using Planned Parenthood as a political football is losing sight of the big picture, members of your electorate and the important work you and your colleagues need to do for the progress and growth of the Middle Class and those striving to enter the Middle Class.

What recent bills have you sponsored or co-sponsored protecting women's legal right to choose, provide financial assistance to women and children living in poverty, single parent families, working families, affordable child care, affordable health care, income disparity, family leave, equal pay, training and education, sex education, affordable housing, transportation, social security, domestic violence, child support, medicaid, medicare?

Thank you for taking the time to respond to these serious questions that impact future deliberation and political consideration.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,
Eunice Beck, Co founder
MceZ.org
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