Arizona Senator Lies About Planned Parenthood On Senate Floor

Today in posturing in the face of an impending government shutdown: Arizona Senator Jon Kyl said this morning on the Senate floor,

“Everybody goes to clinics, to hospitals, to doctors, and so on. Some people go to Planned Parenthood. But you don’t have to go Planned Parenthood to get your cholesterol or your blood pressure checked. If you want an abortion, you go to Planned Parenthood. And that’s well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does.”

Then he says all this stuff about being irresponsible and “facts.” Funny he should mention facts!

Three percent. That number is three percent. Here are the actual, official numbers from Planned Parenthood’s annual report, as well as a chart showing that 33 percent of their revenue comes from government grants. Click to enlarge

Since Kyl is confused about Title X and Planned Parenthood, let’s consult this handy government-written list. Passed by President Richard Nixon (really!) it provides to low-income people the following:

• Contraceptive information and services
• Gynecological examinations, basic lab tests, and other screening services for STDs and HIV
• High blood pressure, anemia, and breast and cervical cancer screening
• Pregnancy testing, sterilization services, and natural family planning
• Community education and Outreach

Title X’s $300 million provides about 12 percent of family planning services to low-income people; the rest comes from Medicaid. Under the Hyde Amendment, no federal money can go to abortions (except for red-tape-laden rape and incest exceptions.) And, of course, contraception and sex ed lead to fewer unintended pregnancies, and in turn fewer abortions. The rest of it just leads to healthier women and men — that’s all.

The House budget bill, HR 1, aimed for Planned Parenthood and Title X in two overlapping ways: It eliminated Title X funding altogether, and it also specifically defunded Planned Parenthood, which also “receives roughly $360 million in federal assistance annually through Medicaid, Maternal and Child Health block grants and other sources.

Sorry, Kyl, for the interruption from the reality-based community.

Facts About Title X [NM Department Of Health]
A Guide To GOP Proposals On Family Planning Funds [Kaiser Health News]