Planned Parenthood Investigation Out of Step With America’s Priorities

Let’s review some facts.

According to the latest Census Bureau data, there are record numbers of poor women and children nationally, and widespread poverty and insecurity in the states. In Florida, 15.8 percent of women are poor. Women working full time, year round in Florida are paid 80 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts. 9.7 percent of women in Florida are unemployed. And 27.0 percent of women in Florida were uninsured.

So what is one Florida Congressman doing about it? Absolutely nothing.

Instead Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has launched an investigation of Planned Parenthood, demanding documents dating back more than 10 years.

That’s right: at a time when nearly 10% of Florida women are unemployed and more than a quarter are without health insurance, one Florida Congressman has launched a politically-motivated investigation of a health care provider that 1 in 5 women depend on at some point in their lives.

Representative Stearns should be fighting for women in Florida, not against the health care provider they depend on. It’s time for Members like Representative Stearns to get their priorities straight.