Planned Parenthood And Modern Reproductive Health

We look at the battle over Planned Parenthood, women’s reproductive rights, fetal tissue and the future of women’s health services in America.

The battle lines over Planned Parenthood have been deep and fierce for a long time. The group provides many women’s health services, but it is the nation’s number one abortion provider, and that has long made it a top target of abortion opponents. Provocative new video on fetal tissue distribution for medical research from those abortions has given critics a hot angle of attack. Defunding Planned Parenthood is now high on the GOP agenda in Washington. Defenders call it an attack on women’s rights and health. It could shut down the government this fall. This hour On Point: the new battle over Planned Parenthood.
-- Tom Ashbrook

Julie Rovner, senior health correspondent for Kaiser Health News. (@jrovner)

Katha Pollitt, writer essayist and columnist for The Nation. Author of the book, "Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights." (@kathapollitt)

Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO of Americans United for Life, an anti-abortion law firm and advocacy group. (@CharmaineYoest)

Kaiser Health News: Fetal Tissue Attack Is Latest Tactic In Long GOP Fight Against Planned Parenthood — "Republican calls to defund Planned Parenthood over its alleged handling of fetal tissue for research are louder than ever. But they are just the latest in a decades-long drive to halt federal support for the group. This round of attacks aims squarely at the collection of fetal tissue, an issue that had been mostly settled — with broad bipartisan support —  in the early 1990s. Among those who voted to allow federal funding for fetal tissue research was now-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky."

New York Times: How to Really Defend Planned Parenthood — "We need to say that women have sex, have abortions, are at peace with the decision and move on with their lives. We need to say that is their right, and, moreover, it’s good for everyone that they have this right: The whole society benefits when motherhood is voluntary. When we gloss over these truths we unintentionally promote the very stigma we’re trying to combat. What, you didn’t agonize? You forgot your pill? You just didn’t want to have a baby now? You should be ashamed of yourself."

Washington Post: How Planned Parenthood actually uses its federal funding — "The long-running calls for the federal government to cease all funding directed toward Planned Parenthood have once again come to the fore. This time, a congressional vote and debate took shape after an anti-abortion group secretly recorded a series of videos with the organization's medical officers and staff speaking dispassionately — some would say dismissively — about the work of extracting fetal tissue from aborted fetuses and and transferring it to research facilities."