happening. >> to add to that not to pick on the pediatrician in the audience that they think it's not just the primary care level i think we need to focus much more on the pediatricians and the adolescent care, the doctors are seeing women in their teens who can really set them up for being able to make responsible decisions going forward. ..

[inaudible conversations]. [inaudible conversations] >> bringing to a close this

event looking at family planning and public policy. if you missed any of it, see it in our video library. to to c-span.org. news related from capitol hill, "the hill" report planned parenthood said yesterday it would no longer accept compensation for procuring tissue for medical research bending to pressure from abortion activists who accused group profiting from the action. even so house republicans are planning ahead with the probe despite the group abandoning most conversal aspect the fetal tissue ram. top republicans including outgoing speaker john boehner are dismissing the move as public relations gambit. they have been the target of investigations after the antiabortion group, center for medical progress released undercover videos where planned parenthood officials appeared to discuss compensation for medical

parts of. look for the road to the white house later today. remarks from florida senator and presidential candidate marco rubio. he is in derry, new hampshire, attending a town hall meeting that will be live at 12:30 eastern today on our companion network, c-span. we're live live on the trail wih donald trump leading the republican pack speaking in richmond virginia at the international raceway in richmond. the coverage is live at 6:30 eastern on c-span2. later at that we'll be back in new hampshire hearing from former florida above and presidential candidate jeb bush. he is holding a campaign rally in concord. you can watch it life on 7:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. finally the her debate performance last night in las vegas, hillary clinton will speak with supporters in las vegas. she is scheduled to start at 8:30 eastern, live also on

c-span. this monday on c-span's new series, "landmark cases," by 1830 the mississippi river around new orleans was a breeding ground for cholera and yellow fever, partly due to slaughterhouses in the area dumping thereby products in the river. to address the problem they only allowed one government run slaughterhouse, crescent city, and other houses took them to court. follow the slaughterhouse cases in 1873. we're joined by paul clement, former solicitor general and constitutional law attorney and michael ross, to help tell the history of this time period in the south, personal stories of the butchers and the state of things in new orleans and attorneys and supreme court justices involved in this close decision. be sure to join the conversation as we take your calls, tweets and facebook comments during the program, using the hashtag, landmark cases, live monday on c-span, c-span3 and c-span

radio. for background on each case while you watch, order a copy of the landmark cases companion book. it is available for 8.95 plus shipping at c-span.org/landmarkcases. continuing our look at the family planning issue, yesterday planned parenthood announced it would no longer accept reimbursement for donated fetal tissue used for research. after the group's president testified before the house judiciary committee about heavily edited videos that appeared to show planned parenthood officials showing payment for such issues. coming up next, that hearing from the 8th. it is just over three hours.

>> good afternoon. the judiciary committee women could to order, without objection the chair is authorized to declare recess of the committee at think time. we welcome, everyone to this morning's hearing on planned parenthood exposed, examining abortion procedures and medical ethics at the nation's largest abortion provider. i will begin by recognizing myself for an opening statement. before i go to the statement on that i would like to take a moment to remember life of former congressman william donellon, done edwards who pace passed away this month at age of 100. he was first elected to congress in 1963 where he had distinguished career working on voting rights act, the civil rights act and served on the house judiciary committee during the investigation of the watergate scandal. during this time on the judiciary committee don edwards served with former congressman caldwell butler who i worked for at the time. when don edwards left office in

1995 after 32 years of congressional service he was succeeded by very own zoe lofgren in california's 16th district. i had the opportunity to serve with congressman edwards myself and appreciated his service. it is now my pleasure to recognize ranking member to share a few words about our former colleague. >> thank you, mr. chairman. members of the committee, and our witnesses and all of our friends that are here in the hearing room, i knew congressman don edwards and worked with him and he has left a lasting legacy he was a progressive, principled man who never stopped believing that the coercive power of government should be you subject to the highest levels of scrutiny and i think we still

carry on that tradition in judiciary even now. and he also wanted us never to forget that our government exists through the consent of the governed with the purpose of preserving and not eroding our rights. i'm grateful to have been a friend and a colleague of him, of his during his service and career in congress. and we will miss him and remember him. and i thank the chair. >> mr. chairman? >> the gentlewoman from california is recognized. >> thank you, mr. chairman, would briefly like to join in the eulogy for congressman don edwards. in 1970 i graduated from stanford university and came out to washington without a job and don edwards hired me and i

worked for him for nine years, both here in washington and also in the california office. we went through incredible impeachment of richard nixon along with your prior boss, and many other issues. he was a marvlous man, a mentor to me, and someone who was widely admired, not only in the congress but in the district that he served. i was honored to be able to succeed him in the house of representatives and kept in frequent touch with him. he watched all of us in his retirement. he lived to the ripe old age of 100 years. so he had great satisfaction in his life. he made his mark and i would just like members to know that we will be having a special order about congressman don edwards on the 21st of october and members are invited to participate and like mr. conyers, i never got to serve with him in the congress

but as his staff i was certainly a huge admire earlier and i thank the chairman for allowing me these few words. >> gentleman from new york. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i'd like to add a few words about the late don edwards. i had the honor of serving with him for two years. i was elected in 1992 and, and, i knew of him well before i came to congress. i knew of him as one of the leading defenders of civil liberties in the united states and i greatly admired him from afar. when i came to congress and i told the then speaker, i was asked what committees would you like to serve on? i would like to serve on the judiciary committee, i was told, if i wanted to serve on the judiciary committee i had to get mr. edwards' approval as to my attitudes on civil liberties. so i had an interview with him and i must have satisfied his interests and my attitude

towards civil liberties because he approved it and i became a member of this committee but such was the esteem he was held by the leadership that he was given apparently that prerogative with new members. and he richly deserved it. he was a leading voice of civil liberty abouts for many, many years, and he served this country well, and we should thank him for those, thank his memory for that. i yield back. >> the chair thanks the gentleman. now i will begin my opening statement and we have votes on the floor but perhaps i and ranking member can get our statements in before we go to vote. a child's heart begins to form three weeks after conception. by the fifth week her heart begins to beat, pumping blood throughout her little body and her arm and leg buds begin to grow. her brain begins to develop, her eyes and ears begin to form. by the sixth week her hands and

feet begin to form. the following week her toes can be seen. during this time, she kicks and will jump if startled. by eight weeks the baby's facial features become more distinct. in weeks nine through 12 the baby may begin sucking her thumb. by 10 weeks she can yawn. by 11 weeks she can make a wide variety of facial expressions including a smile. by 12 weeks, which marks end of first trimester she is capable of making a fist but on any given day her developing parts, including her heart and brain may be harvested at many planned parenthood clinics that participate in this practice across this country. in her organs, if her organs are harvested she will not carry a name. at most, she will be referred to as a product of conception. despite the horrific nature of these practices planned parenthood's outrage has been

directed not at harvesting of baby parts, but at the people who caught them talking about doing it on video. indeed, planned parenthood argues that the videos released by the center for medical progress are highly edited. but it is noteworthy to point out the group hired by planned parenthood to review the videos found that they're, quote analysis did not reveal widespread evidence of substantive video manipulation, end quote. a second analysis, commissioned by alliance defending freedom reached a similar conclusion. according to that report the recorded media files indicate that the video recordings are authentic, and show no evidence of manipulation or editing, quote, unquote. today's hearing is about the content contained within the videos including admissions made by planned parenthood officials that raise serious questions about the treatment of our nation's children who may be

born alive following a failed abortion. for example, the vice president of planned parenthood of the rocky mountains stated that in some cases babies are being born intact. she further stated, sometimes we get, if someone delivers before we get to see them for a procedure, then they are intact but that's not what we go for. to insure babies born alive in such instances are given necessary medical care, the house pass hr 3404, the born alive abortion survivors protection act which requires babies surviving a abortion given the same treatment and care would be given to any child naturally born premature at the same age and imposes criminal penalties at the federal level to prevent the killing of innocent human babies born alive. moreover, these videos indicate

abortion practitioners may have adopted new abortion procedures to avoid the risk of violating the partial-birth abortion ban act. in the first video the senior director of medical services at planned parenthood federation of america stated that, quote, the federal abortion ban is a law and laws are up to interpretation, end quote. today's hearing is is in part intended to explore what interpretations by abortion practitioners have arisen since the law's passage. i look forward to hearing from our witnesses here today. and it is now my pleasure to recognize the ranking member of committee, gentleman from michigan, mr. conyers, for his opening statement. >> thank you, mr. chairman and members of the committee. we are, i want to take a moment to walk through the events that

have led up to this hearing. we know from reports that the gentleman from arizona, mr. franks, and others in the majority, have viewed at least some of the videos about a month before they were released. on julyth of this year the first -- july 15th, the first video were released to the public. these were posted online on over the august break. three different house committees then launched simultaneous congressional investigations. on september 9th, this committee held its first hearing on the topic. at which the witnesses for the majority refused to discuss the videos at the heart of the matter. there have been since two other hearings on this topic, making this the fourth in the house in

less than a month. and finally, the majority has announced that it will create a new taxpayer-funded select committee to extend the so-called investigation indefinitely. as i reflect on these events i think we're able to draw some conclusions. the first being that there's no evidence in the record what sew every of illegal activity ad planned parenthood. on behalf of its 59 affiliates, the planned parenthood federation of america has provided this committee with hundreds of pages of documents. the organization is cooperating fully with all three investigations in the house. the documents we reviewed so far

allow us to go point by point to correct the false impressions created by the highly-edited, highly-misleading videos that nominally inspired these investigations. chairman chaffetz who sits on this committee and who is running his own investigation into these matters in the oversight committee next door has agreed with this conclusion. last week wolf blitzer asked the gentleman from utah, is there any evidence that planned parenthood has broken any law? mr. chaffetz answered with the truth. no, i'm not suggesting that they broke the law. i'm led to conclude that this hearing, much like the broader

attack on planned parenthood, may be a political theater. may be designed to rally the conservative base and roll back the constitutional right to choose wherever possible. in practice, these investigations have had little to do with the videos which some went to great lengths not to discuss at our last hearing. they have everything to do with appeasing the most conservative element of one of the party's during an interparty leadership crisis and a fractious presidential primary. now we may have a legitimate difference of opinion on roe v. wade but it remains the law of the land the attempt by

some to relitigate a 40-year-old decision places thousands of lives at risk. many women enter the health care system through a family planning provider. in fact, six in 10 women who he receive services at a publicly funded family planning center consider it their primary source of medical care. planned parenthood aserves 2.7 million americans every year. abortion procedures make up incredibly small amount of the services it provides, only 3%. for example, in 2013, planned parenthood provided 900,000 cancer screenings to women across the country. 88,000 of those tests detected cancer early or, identified be a

normalities that might signal a greater risk of cancer. in short in this way, and so many others, planned parenthood saves lives. and so the attempt to defund planned parenthood places each of those lives at risk. we should be grateful that the effort has been almost entirely unsuccessful, at least so far on the federal level. and finally, it's important to observe all of the good work this committee could be doing instead of meetings for the second time on this subject in 30 days. as we head into our second election season since shelby county versus holder, this committee has been -- done very little, could do a lot more to restore enforcement mechanisms

of the voting rights act. we've done little to advance comprehensive immigration reform. and even though proposals remain overwhelmingly popular and would probably easily pass the house, we've got to start acting. so 11 million men and women are waiting to come out of the shadows and contribute to our economy and communities and at this pace, i fear they will have to wait even longer. and although the scourge of gun violence has touched everyone of our districts, including yours, mr. chairman, we have all but ignored calls to strengthen background checks and close the gun show loophole. all these solution was save lives. all of them are consistent with our constitutional rights, and

the list of missed opportunities is long and our time is short. we should not spend one more minute or one more taxpayer dollar vilifying planned parenthood without a speck of evidence to back these claims. this committee has too much important work to do and i urge my colleagues to help us put this kind of theater behind us. we can do better. i thank the chairman and appreciate the opportunity to express my views. >> thanks to the gentleman. there is one minute remaining in this vote. happily we're amongst 320 members who are not yet voted. head to the floor. the committee will stand in recess until these votes conclude and resume immediately thereafter.

[inaudible conversations]. >> the committee will reconvene. and it's now my pleasure to recognize the chairman of the subcommittee on the constitution and civil justice gentleman from arizona, mr. franks, for his opening statement. >> well, thank you, mr. chairman. mr. chairman, the tiny diaper that i hold in my hand is one made to fit premature, born alive babies. micro premies or ultrapremies they're called. when i first saw one of these little diapers it moved my heart very deeply because i think i saw it in the context of the numerous video recordings that have been released in recent months that tragically demonstrate that the kermit dozen nells of this world have

no monopoly on abortion industry pain to unborn children and little babies that survive the trauma of going through an abortion. it is the little babies of exactly this age and stage of development that these little diapers were made to fit and, mr. chairman, it's easy for me to understand why the abortion industry shrill response to these videos has been to try to discredit them in every way possible. they really have no choice. because if they fail to discredit these videos or to dissuade people from seeing them, they know that anyone with a conscience who does watch these videos, will finally see planned parenthood and the abortion industry for who they truly are. and this murderous industry will be rejected in the hearts of the

american people. however, mr. chairman, a forensic, digital analysis by coal fire systems incorporated of these video recordings conclusively indicate that the videos are indeed authentic and show no evidence of manipulation or deceptive editing. now this conclusion is supported by the consistency of the video file dates, time stamps, video time codes as well as the folder and file naming scheme. the uniformity between the footage from the cameras, from the two different investigators, also confirms the evidence that these video recordings are completely authentic. mr. chairman, our response as a people and nation to these atrocities incontrovertibly documented by these videos is vital to everything to those lying out in arlington national cemetery died to save.

the house of representatives very recently passed hr-354, the born alive abortion survivors protect act. i'm told that democrats in the senate intend to filibuster it, even this bill, that protects not unborn children but rather little children who have been born alive. now no one can obscure the humanity and personhood of these little born-alive babies or claim conflict with the now completely separate interests of the mother and the child. nor can they take refuge within this schizophrenic paradox roe vs. wade subjected this country to now more than who years. mr. chairman the abortion industry has labored for all of these decades to convince the world that born children and unborn children should be completely separated in our minds. in the past they have said while born children are persons, worthy of protection, unborn

children are not persons and are not worthy of protection. but those same people who now oppose this bill to protect born, alive children, suddenly have the impossible task of trying to rejoin these born children and these unborn children back together again and then trying to convince us all to condemn them both, born and unborn, as now collectively inhuman and near neither of them are worthy of protection after all. to anyone who is not invincably heartened their heart and soul, honest consideration of this absurd inconsistency is profoundly enlightening. because you see, mr. chairman, this country has faced such paradox before. we have faced such self-imposed blindness before. because there was a time in our own parliamentary rules in this

house that we banned discussion or debate about the effort to end human slavery in america. but that debate did come, mr. chairman, and with it came a time when the humanity of the victims and inhumanity of what was being done to them finally became so glaring, even to the hardest of hearts, that it moved an entire generation of the american people to find the compassion and the courage in their souls to change their position. and now to this generation, mr. chairman, that moment has come again. and i would implore every member of this committee to ask two questions in the stillness of his or her own heart. first, is deliberately turning a blind eye to the suffering and murder of the most helpless of all of our children born alive in the united states of america who we have truly become as a nation? and second, is voting against or

filibustering against a bill to protect born-alive human babies from agonizing dismemberment and death, who i have become and want to be remembered for as a member of the united states congress? and with that, mr. chairman, i would yield back. >> the chair thanks the gentleman and now recognizes the ranking member of the subcommittee on constitution and civil justice, gentleman from tennessee, mr. cohen, for his opening statement. >> thank you, mr. chairman. appreciate the time although i don't necessarily appreciate the subject matter. second time in 30 days we're holding a full committee hearing ostensibly whether planned parenthood has violated any laws. as ranking member conyers and many others including chairman jason chaffetz of oversight and government reform committee have made clear, there is no credible evidence supporting any allegations that planned parenthood has broken any law. ironic we do this on the day we

honor don edwards who did so much with the constitution and civil justice committee, who passed so many laws to protect people's sieve rights and to move this country forward and to this date, when the committee does very little. knowing that there is no ground to stand on regarding legality of planned parenthood's actions obvious the majority chose instead to move the goalposts. i suspect this hearing like our last one will dissolve never ending argument when the supreme court rightly decided roe v. wade which more than 42 years guaranteed a woman's constitutional right to choose. it is the law of the land. there is no such thing as murder. murder is unlawful. this is lawful. a woman's choice. and within a certain period of time. we're not likely to hear anything and learn anything new but we'll hear the same arguments but one thing we will see is a, we will get a little bit something new. most of my democratic colleagues and i strongly believe in a woman's right to choose and that is a fundamental right.

pillar of women's equality and court got it right in roe v. wade. i suspect most of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle believe the opposite. different values, different background, they have than i have. the court agrees with me. i also suspect they disagree with me and most of my democratic colleagues who strongly believe in hooded hoo planned parenthood and 97% of its work that is not not abortion. health screenings, birth control counseling, particularly cancer, women's cancer. these services are especially important for women of low income and minority women where planned parenthood receives medicaid reimbursements constitute most of its federal funding. medicaid reimbursement for treating, observing, testing women for cancers and giving them birth control and and advise. in fact it is against the law, these federal fundings due to the height amendment. none of that exists. -- hide amendment.

we'll have a cat scattershot of ultimately right of women to make decisions about their bodies is good or bad thing. a decision supreme court clearly answered in 1973 but here we are today. we could be talking about voting rights, something don edwards voted for and greatly supported, my mend julian bond memorialized on tuesday championed but we could take a big step back. could talk about gun violence, people dying in oregon, people dying around the country but we're not doing that. we could be talking about pardons and commutations for non-violent offenders and commit e white house will work with this committee on comprehensive bill and i thank the chairman for working with ranking member on that. but we're not. this entire exercise is based on heavily edited videos documenting planned parenthood enengaging in unlawful conduct which it isn't. at this point i ask unanimous consent play a compilation by oversight and government reform

committee democrats, portion of unedited video of dr. debra nucatell or portions we do not see in edited video which she makes clear planned parenthood does not sell tissue organs for profit and enter that video into the record. >> without objection the video will be shown and made a part of the record. >> thank you. if we could start playing at 30 seconds and end it at 1:55. ♪ i guess we'll start at the beginning. ♪ >> -- making money. >> no one, we're not -- our goal to keep access available.

reasonable impact it has. >> right. >> right. >> right. [inaudible]. >> at the end of the day what you're trying to do is say, that

you were to take money out of the -- which is what we're trying to do. how is this beneficial. >> thank you. i think that's very telling testimony. all edited out and wouldn't be seen in those videos that they're talking about. where she makes clear it is not about making money, it's not planned parenthood's policy and planned parenthood's policy is different. some might donate it for free and give it for free. it's a women's decision. it is not our deal. he kept going, right, right, right. stop saying this. this isn't what i want to hear. last night the cubs beat the pirates 4-0. they would have edited the game, take out the four runs and we would still be playing. that would be a fairer presentation of the game as it

has been of this video. this investigation of planned parenthood is based on false premise one after another after another. it is time to stop wasting time, get on with meaningful work and stop picking on women and trying to take their choice away. i yield back balance much my time. >> the time of the gentleman has expired. we welcome our distinguished witnesses today. if you would all please rise i will begin by swearing you in. do you and each of you swear that the testimony you are about to give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you god? thank you. the witnesses may be seated and let the record reflect that they all responded in the affirmative. and i will now begin by introducing today's witnesses. first witness is dr. anthony levatino. dr. levatino is a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist. over the course of his career he has practiced "obstetrics and

gynecology" in both private and university settings including associate professor of ob/gyn at the albany medical college. our next witness is miss susan thayer. miss thayer worked for nearly 18 years as center manager of the planned parenthood clinic storm lake iowa. she was fired in december of 2008 when she expressed concerns about webcam abortions. she has since become a strong voice for life and educates the public about abortion and specifically webcam abortions. our next witness is miss caroline fredrickson. ms. fredrickson is president of the american constitution society. she has been widely published on range of legal and constitutional issues and is a frequent guest on television and radio shows. before joining american constitution society caroline served as director aclu's washington legislative office and as general counsel and legal director of naral, pro-choice

america. our final witness is ms. luana stoltenberg. his stoltenberg is public speaker for operation outcry, a ministry that seeks to educate the public about the devastating consequences of abortion. miss stoltenberg is a resident of davenport, iowa. welcome to you all. your written statements will be entered into the record in their entirety and i ask you summarize your testimony in five minutes or let's. to help you stay within the time. there is timing light on the table. when the light switches from green to yellow you have one minute to conclude your testimony. when the light turns red it signals that your five minutes have expired and dr. levatino, we'll begin with you. welcome. [inaudible]. >> need to turn on your microphone. >> apologize. good, i got my time back. thank you, chairman and members of the committee. i only have five minutes so i'm going to get right to it. second trimester d and e

abortions performed between roughly 14 and 24 weeks of gestation, your patient today is 17 years old. she is 22 weeks pregnant. her baby is the length of your hand plus a couple of inches. and she has been feeling her baby kick for the last several weeks but she is asleep on operating room table. you walk into the operating room scrubbed and gown. after removing laminaria you introduce a suction catheter into the uterus. this is french suction catheter. if she is 14 weeks or less you can basically do entire procedure with this but babies this big don't fit through catheters this size. after suctioning amniotic fluid from around the baby you introduce a instrument called sofer clamp. it is 13 inches long and made of stainless steel. the business end of this lamp is 2 1/2 inches long and half-inch wide. there are rose of sharp teeth this is grassp instrument, when it gets ahold of something it does not let go.

a d and e procedure is blind abortion. picture self introducing this grabbing anything you can find pull and i mean hard, plops out a leg that big. reach in again, pull out again an arm about the same lent which you put down on the table next to you. and use this instrument again and again to tear out the spine, the intestines, the heart and lungs. a baby of that size is size of a large plum. can't see it, pretty good idea if you got it got the instrument around something and fingers spread as far as you go. you know you did it right if the crush down on instrument and white material that is the baby's brains. you pull out skull pieces. a day like i have, sometimes a little face comes back and stares back at you. congratulations you successfully performed a second try messter d and e abortion. affirmed the right to choose. when we talk about abortions even later, 23 weeks and up,

we're talking up to 35 weeks and essentially all the way to term, the most commonly used procedure at this point is called mold technique. i rather than, i have not done any of these myself but could have abortionists themselves in their clinic describe what we're talking about. will you please run my video. >> the video will be run. >> dr. blake's, women's options, how may i help you. >> hi. i was hoping to schedule an abortion. >> all right. what is the gestation period. >> like middle of may, like may 15th, probably. >> so looks like we can do this for you but it is going to be a week-long procedure. so if you're able to come next week and we start this on the 12th, i'm going to be looking at a fee of $8,000. >> whoa. >> uh-huh. are you still in your chair? >> just barely. >> just barely.

what you also he need to keep in mind every week that goes by, the fee goes up by another thousand dollars. >> we can do up to 27 weeks. >> oh, really? >> yeah. so you're about a month, yeah, actually you're about a month off. >> oh, would you. wow. >> it is going straight into the, into the sac and pregnancy, okay? it is billion down. it will insert through the baby's bottom. okay? with the head down, it will be inserted through the head, the cranium. >> if we can't catch it early enough, which i, has happened, if you're feeling pressure, it is moving down or something coming out, the pregnancy coming out. from then you will wan to unlock the door, to the hotel room. get your cell phone and sit on toilet. you don't have to look at anything. don't have to clean anything up

or nothing. be on the phone with us. and we'll kind of, you can stay on the phone with us until doctor and nurse get there. >> good. go on the toilet. okay. >> yeah. >> what if it, what if it does come out while i'm on the toilet? >> you don't got to look down. you don't got to do anything. the doctor and nurse will come take care of it. if you feel like too much to see any of it, then do not let yourself look at it, okay. >> okay. >> if you want to cover yourself even with like a towel or something. >> okay. >> go ahead. if you're one of lucky people that have no pain of contractions and all of sudden, something is coming out, sit on the toilet. >> okay. >> then you go. and unlock the door and we take care of you. >> if i'm on the toilet and it pops it and it is on toilet what do i do? >> you would sit there and stay there. do not move until we come and get you. >> i don't have to worry about taking it our anything? >> don't have to clean anything. don't have to do anything. >> okay. >> we'll take care of

everything. >> so for $10,000 a woman 27 weeks pregnant gets to labor alone, unattended in a hotel room with no one there to watch her vital signs or otherwise attend her. if her baby delivers into a toilet, her own dead son or daughter, so be it. thank you. >> thank you, dr. levatino. miss thayer, welcome. >> thank you, mr. chairman and members of the committee. from april 1991 to december 2008 i was employed by planned parenthood of the heartland, center manager of its storm lake and lamar, iowa clinics. i spent 17 years learning from inside out just how planned parenthood works. i concluded that no business, certainly no health care business, should view a woman's body as a profit center but that is what planned parenthood is all about. they're more concerned with profits than about the health of

women. when i first began working for planned parenthood, i was convinced that i was serving my community and the health needs of women. as a parent of five children, including three adopted kids and a foster mom to 130 kids over the past 28 years, i didn't fit well into planned parenthood's corporate culture. though during my initial interview i expressed concerns about abortion, i was hired and promoted by planned parenthood. i believe that i could help reduce abortion and serve women. over time i learned that i was wrong to trust planned parenthood. i'm here today because all people need to know the truth about planned parenthood. in 2002 the remains of a newborn, a full-term child, were discovered in a trash dump in my small iowa town. after determining that the child had been born alive, the sheriff investigating the murder of this child came to my: i can to seek medical records of potential suspects. i assumed that planned parenthood would want to cooperate with this criminal

investigation. instead planned parenthood turned the murder into a fund-raising opportunity and falsely claimed that all women's health records would be compromised and that a woman's right to abortion was under attack of the as it often seems to do planned parenthood raised thousands of dollars from this sordid event. like most of iowa's planned parenthood clinics birth control pills were dispensed to patients without the patients having been seen by medical professional. once a week a nurse practitioner would come to planned parenthood clinics to sign off on birth control prescriptions that had been dispensed prior week. in 2007 i learned more about the truth of planned parenthood when it implemented webcam abortion. here is how this was to work. a woman with a positive pregnancy test would be offered a webcam abortion on the spot so she couldn't change her mind. next, a non-medical clinic assistant with minimal training would perform a transvaginal ultrasound and scan the image to

a doctor in another location. the doctor would briefly talk to the woman by a skype television connection, then the doctor could push a button her computer opened a drawer which were the abortion pills. the woman was told to take one set of pills at clinic, to complete the abortion take the second set of pills at home 48 hours later. planned parenthood instructed it is clinic workers to tell women who experienced complications at home to report to the local e.r. the woman were told to say they were experiencing a miscarriage, not that had undergone a chemical abortion. planned parenthood cut its costs to the bone by performing webcam abortions with virtually no overhead, no on-site doctors, no real medical staff, very little equipment and no expense for travel to a remote clinic. yet it charged women the same fee for a chemical abortion as it did for a surgical abortion. webcam abortion is obviously a big money maker for planned

parenthood. i expressed my concerns to planned parenthood management that webcam abortions were unsafe and possibly illegal. today planned parenthood's webcam abortion scheme is so financially successful it has been implemented in iowa an minnesota. touted it as first-in-the-nation and had plans to expand webcam abortion to every state. after i left planned parenthood, i realized that it had been fraudulently billing iowa medicaid's program. it had filed false medicaid claims totaling $28 million, first through the c mail program, dispensed without a medically unnecessary oral contraceptive pills to medicaid patients. second it billed medicaid for abortion related services in violation of federal law. third it coerced donations from patients in violation of medicaid regulations. each of these initiatives was implemented to benefit planned parenthood's bottom line.

none benefited women's health. planned parenthood is organized as tax-exempt non-profit, nevertheless these are some of the reasons that it has reported $765 million in excess revenue over the last 10 years. when i first began working at planned parenthood i trusted them and thought its leaders knew what was right but i learned that it could not be trusted. in fact it does not deserve to be trusted by any american, woman or man. planned parenthood is more of a concerned about its bottom line than it is about the health and safety of women. thank you. >> thank you, miss thayer. ms. fredrickson, welcome. >> good afternoon, chairman goodlatte and ranking member conyers and distinguished members of the committee. my name is caroline fredrickson. i'm president of the american constitution society for law and policy i'm testifying today in my personal capacity and do not purport to represent any institutional views of the american constitution society. thank you for providing me the

opportunity to testify here today in response to this most recent attack on planned parenthood. planned parenthood is a nearly century-old health kay provider that play as critical role in the right to health care for millions of americans. each year planned parenthood help health centers provide services such as family planning counseling and contraception, breast exams and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections to 2.7 million patients and no less than one in five women in the united states has visited a planned parenthood health center at least once in her lifetime. these services help women prevent 516,000 inintended preg nancys and 217 abortions every year. these are services that women, men and young people in this country desperately need and that many would go without should they lose access to planned parenthood's health centers. planned parenthood provides

services at approximately 700 health centers located in every state in the nation and 54% of these health centers are in rural or medically underserved areas or areas with shortages in health professionals. as many experts opined there are simply insufficient number of alternative health care providers to absorb patients who need care since they should lose access to planned parenthood. planned parenthood health centers are particularly crucial to poor women in this country. more than half of planned parenthood's 2.million patients each year rely on public health programs such as medicaid to cover their costs and 78% of the planned parenthood's patients live with incomes of 150% of the federal poverty level or less. indeed in 68% of the counties with a planned parenthood health center, planned parenthood serves at least half of all safety net family patients. planned parenthood is an

integral part of the health care system in this country. it provides critical health care services to many women, particularly poor women, who might otherwise go without these services. this most recent round of attacks on planned parenthood was incity bated by a anti-choice organization, the center for medical progress whose members deceptively infiltrated planned parenthood clinics and conferences claiming they worked for a tissue procurement company. surreptitiously and possibly illegalled recorded meetings with planned parenthood staff. over the course of several months released3numerous videos of these encounters. cmp now claims that the videos show planned parenthood acted illegally selling fetal issue and violating the partial-birth abortion plan act. at out regardless of content of videos released which show no wrongdoing at all, they are unusable atas any it because

they're so heavily select timly edited, cmp has not released to anyone the full unedited versions. planned parenthood hired experts to review videos and assess their authenticity and those experts including grant fred distribution, contract instructor of video sciences at fbi, one of the most experienced video experts in north america found many deceptive edits in those videos. in many cases cmp edited dialogue out of context in ways that substantively altered the meaning of the dialogue. in other cases large segments of dialogue were simply omitted all together. there is no question that both the shorter videos and so-called full footage videos are selectively and intentionally edited and incomplete. as such, in the words of the expert analysis, the manipulation of the videos does mean they have no evidentiary value in a legal context and can not be relied upon for any official inquiries.

moreover, every jurisdiction that has conducted an investigations into planned parenthood's activities found no wrongdoing. as of this date, six states have completed investigations into whether planned parenthood violated any laws in its fetal tissue donation program. all six unanimously, unanimously concluded that planned parenthood did not. in fact, representative jason chaffetz, chairman of the house committee on oversight and government reform whose committee questioned planned parenthood ceo cecile richards at length just last week admitted to cnn's wolf blitzer, no, i'm not suggesting they broke the law. in sum there is absolutely no evidence here that planned parenthood has violated any laws. as we all know this is one in a long length of videos that have been used to try to undermined women's access to full reproductive health care they are entitled to under the law in america and have need of to ensure they can live full lives. so i respect the committee and

thank you for inviting me here to talk about this important issue. >> thank you. miss stoltenberg, welcome. >> thank you, mr. chairman and all the committee members. my life has been devastated by abortion. i was a teenager when i had my first abortion. i was too afraid to tell my parents i was pregnant and my boyfriend didn't want a baby. so i made my appointment with planned parenthood. i was so scared when i arrived, i paid my money and sat in the waiting room. i was then taken back to a room with a nurse and asked, how i felt about this? i told her. this had to be wrong. it had to be a baby. she told me it was just a blob of tissue. that this abortion would be easier and safer than if i carried it to term. i was a scare teenager with no medical knowledge or experience. they were the trusted medical professionals and adults so i thought. so i trusted and i believed them and i went through with the

procedure. the type of abortion that had was a vacuum aspirate tore method. this is the most common abortion done in the first trimester. i laid on the table and waited for the doctor i never had met before which is most times the case. to come in, this doctor was cold and he was unfriendly. he told me to lie still. that it wouldn't take long. i had no anesthetic for the pain. he said he would feel tugging and a slight sensation and cramping. that was not true. it was the most extremely painful procedure i ever have had done. i increased labor and every time the suction machine would pull apart or a him of my baby, from my body. each time i kept trying to sit up to see what was going into that jar. was it my baby? they kept pushing me back down and telling me to lie still. soon as the procedure was over they quickly wheeled the jar out of the room with my baby's

remains. they knew it was my baby. they saw the head. they saw the feet. they saw the arms. i wasn't told about fetal development when i was at planned parenthood. they didn't tell me that my unborn baby that they were ripping out of my body would have arms, had legs, had a heart beat, fingerprints and she could feel pain. why didn't they want to tell me that? were they afraid that i would change my mind? it must have been a wrong choice if after knowing all the facts, i chose life for my child. on the way home i was in severe pain. i laid in the back seat crying and bleeding profusely. when i got home, i called planned parenthood. and i told them about the pain and bleeding. they told me that this was no longer their problem. that i would need to call my own physician. there was no way i was going to call my own physician. i was too scared and too ashamed and didn't want my parent to

find out what i had done. i painfully laid there that day and wondered if i would do. happy, fun loving luana died that day along with my baby. i became depressed, angry, started drinking heavily. i started doing drugs. i became very promiscuous. i hated myself. my life was spinning out of control. i became pregnant two more times and chose abortion both times. each experience was similar. to the first, except for the second abortion they showed me blobs of tissue on slides and tell told me that is all they would be removing, not a baby. but the third abortion i was so ashamed and embarrassed i didn't even give them my real name. i gave them a friend of mine's name. i cringed to think, what would have happened if there would have been complications or i died on the table that day? who would they have called? would my parents have ever found out? having abortion didn't solve any

of my problems. it only created new ones and larger ones. the way i dealt with them was more alcohol, more drugs. anything to numb the pain. and i even tried to kill myself. but god had a plan for my life. i found hope an forgiveness in jesus and i accepted him as my lord and my life began to change. i mets a wonderful man. we were married and wanted to start a family but we were having no success. i went for endless tests. one of the tests i had done was a dye test to determine if there were blockages in my fallopian tubes. during the tests my doctored asked if i had abortions. i admitted i had three. she showed on the screen where my tubes were mangled from the abortion procedure. she said i would never have children. . .

>> i thought they were pro-choice and cared for women. i didn't feel cared for. i felt used and i felt abused. i live with the consequences and the pains and the regret of abortion every day, along with many other women. in front of me our pages of

sworn testimonies of women have been hurt and abused physically, emotionally, psychologically by planned parenthood and other abortion industries, in general. i'm here to represent them as well as myself. iit is a heavy load. i'm asking you to please consider these stories and mine when you make legislation and when you make decisions about defending planned parenthood and about abortion -- defunding. all of us have been hurt by abortion are being made to play -- to pay planned parenthood with our tax dollars. that's like being forced to pay your of user over and over again. abortion is not health care. it is the taking of an innocent life. thank you. >> thank you, ms. stoltenberg. we will now proceed under the

five minute rule with questions for witnesses and i will begin by recognizing myself. before i begin i would like to show a quick video that puts a human face on the issues presented here today.

>> ms. stoltenberg, thank you for sharing with us your very

personal experiences following the three abortions you underwent. on planned parenthood website their frequent asked questions associated with abortion. one considers whether there are long-term risk of sosa with abortion stating, quote, say, uncovered abortion does not cause problems for future pregnancies and, or, ultimately most women feel relief after an abortion. based on your experience do you think these characterizations provide women with all the attention they need about the risks associated with the abortion procedure they are about to undergo? >> no, i do not. i didn't any of those risks from them and i don't believe that's a true statement at all. my story proves that, that this is not safe for me. i couldn't have children, and all these stories prove that. people have been physically harmed. i have a friend who lost a daughter on the table as an abortionist. there are ramifications and it does hurt women.

>> dr. levatino, the 2009 national abortion federation textbook on comprehensive abortion care states that some patients or clinicians prefer initiating the abortion procedure within our living fetus for emotional reasons or to avoid the problem of a transient living neonate at the time of fetal expulsion. that's on page 185. what in plain english are they referring to in this state that? >> they are referring to -- >> turn your microphone on. >> they are referring to bringing about a fetal death prior to initiating the procedure. you can do that a couple of ways. one is through the use of the jocks in which is ask on that video. another one is for the use of potassium chloride.

potassium chloride i will say and more dangerous drug and it is much more difficult to administer effectively to cause fetal death. by injecting even in large doses into the amniotic sac or directly into the fetus as was shown there you can cause a fetal death. that obviates the problem companies are successful in that it allocates the problem of their live birth. with the abortion i described initially between 14-24 weeks and dismembering a baby, just number the abortion if you wish, is no chance of a live birth at all but when you use these later techniques where you're essentially inducing labor, if you don't induce fetal death at a time and you run the risk of a life birth then you have a situation of a person under the law even as our laws are constituted as a right to medical care which is not going to be available in hotel rooms or in clinics. these women need to be in hospitals.

that's what they are referring to. >> one more question, dr. levatino, why did you and your practice of doing abortions? >> i did over 1200 abortions in private practice not counting the ones i did during my training. i met my wife during my first year of training at albany medical center to we got married about a year and then we had an infertility problem. after years of failed effort of the treatment and somebody is trying to adopt a child we were blessed with adopted a little girl that we named heather in august of 1978. as sometimes happened in those situations my wife got pregnant the very next month and we're two children 10 months apart. too much short of my daughter's sixth birthday she was killed in an auto accident and literally died in her arms in the back of an ambulance. anyone who is children may think of some idea of what that feels like unless yo you've been a do-it-yourself you have no idea

whatsoever. i know people find it hard to believe but what do you do after a disaster? you bury her child and then you go back to your life. i do remember exactly how long it was after my daughter die that i showed up at albany medical center all our number nine to perform an abortion was a thing of it anything special, this was routine to me. but i reached in and literally pulled out an arm or leg and got sick. earlier on i described stacking body parts on the site of the table. it's not to gross people out to use simple terms. when you do an abortion you need to keep inventory project to make sure you get to arms into lakes and all the pieces. if you don't your patient is going to come back infected, bleeding, or did. so i soldier on and finish that abortion and i know it sounds as i said hard for people to believe but i'm telling you straight up my experience.

over 1200 abortion, first and second trimester up to 24 weeks and all the rest of it and been very dedicated to it, for the first time in my life i really looked at that pile of body parts and decided -- at the sight of the table and i didn't see one of the right to choose edit can see all the money i just made. all i could see was somebody's son or daughter. i stopped a late term abortions after that and several months later stop doing all of abortions. >> thank you. pitcher nebuchadnezzar the gentleman from michigan force questions. we have a vote on in about 12 minutes remaining i think if you want to proceed we can get those done. >> yes, sir, i would like to go forward, thank you. and i want to thank all the witnesses. but i have questions for ms. caroline fredrickson, please. i'm going to quote from our

chairman's memorandum on this hearing quote, the purpose of this hearing will be to hear from witnesses on the issues surrounding the alleged act of planned parenthood. so without commenting on its authenticity, does the video played by dr. levatino earlier had anything whatsoever to do with planned parenthood? >> i don't see the relevance of the video to a hearing that is supposed to be focused on planned parenthood itself, and any allegations unsupported as they may be of wrongdoing. so no, mr. conyers, i don't see how they relate to this hearing. >> now, can you describe the results of the independent forensic analysis of the videos

released by the center for medical progress? >> yes. the independent examination by the forensic expert found that the videos were completely unreliable because they had been so heavily edited and manipulated, and that they could not be shown to prove any evidence of any type of wrongdoing. >> now, as you note, ms. fredrickson, in your testimony, six days, missouri, pennsylvania, georgia, indiana, massachusetts and south dakota have looked into allegations of wrongdoing at planned parenthood affiliates. can you report to your knowledge what they have found? >> all of them found that there was no basis for any finding of any wrongdoing by planned parenthood. ends of those investigations were dismissed.

>> now, what would happen to women if roe v. wade were overturned? as you know, the landmark case involving a woman's right to choose your would women still choose to end their pregnancies? with those procedures be safer than those provided by planned parenthood today? >> it's true an unfortunate that when abortion was illegal in this country women did seek abortions, and, unfortunately, most illegal abortion are dangerous and for women's lives in jeopardy. and women do nonetheless seek out abortions. so it is imperative that abortion remains safe and legal in this country. >> thank you. now, there's some who want to push to defund planned

parenthood. some have claimed there's enough other clinics to absorb planned parenthood patients, if planned parenthood affiliates are forced to close their doors. is about troop? >> that has been described as actually ludicrous by people from experts in public health who see that there is no way that these health centers could fill the gap that is provided by planned parenthood of which is an anchor for women's health care in america. in fact, the leading health provider or reproductive health care for women. >> now, i am just about through. is there adequate capacity in the health care system to absorb all of planned parenthood's patients? >> no. there is clearly no capacity to absorb those patients. those patients would unfortunate have their needs go unmet. they would be less likely to family planning, counseling and

access to contraception as well as to basic sexual transmitted disease testing and breast exams. and as a result there would be more abortions in this country and not fewer. >> thank you. and, finally, what kinds of patients may be deeply harmed if those that want to defund planned parenthood were successful in their effort? >> mr. conyers, poor women, low income women in this country can win in rural areas would be the ones who would suffer most of not having access to the critical services that planned parenthood provides. >> i thank you very much for your testimony, and i thank the chairman for the hearing. >> that are six minutes remaining in this vote so the committee will stand in recess and rethinking immediately after the votes. [inaudible conversations]

>> that can be one outcome to order at of recognize the gentleman from virginia, mr. forbes. >> chairman, thank you. at the end of the classic movie casablanca, the inspection or come inspector issues an order to round up the usual suspects, and every time my friends and other side of the aisle have a horrific act that stunt arledge to be done by want of allies, the issue is in order to round up the usual excuses. we've heard them all here today. don't believe your eyes and your ears and what you hear on the video. look somewhere else. and for goodness sake, don't focus on this horrific act when you can be focusing on some other horrific act that people rely, or the like might have committed. this is just political theater. somehow the other, if you are sensitive and don't like the

fact that an unborn child is torn apart limb by limb you really are not talking bout that, you have some kind of massive attack on women in general, and don't look at the horrific act that this group might attend because this group might attempt a central to my to do some other good acts that were not horrific. and the excuses go on and on. the reality is there is simply no point. there is nothing that our friends on the other side of the i would look at this organization and say, we might like you but that's just too far and we can't condone that. mr. chairman, i would like to know show a video since this seems to be the day of the video if we could roll back. -- role that.

>> now, mr. chairman, we've heard a lot today about editing of the district of evidence and i think of it all, but this video has been edited or anything has been added to it. so the procedures that were discussed there, crushing an unborn child in more than one place, an unborn child by the way that has a heart, a transcendent and oliver that is so well developed that planned parenthood would want to say the heart, the lung and the liver, just one simple question is that procedure too brutal for you? >> well, i would like to respond by saying that as you started describing this as political theater i would like to reiterate that this -- >> no, ma'am, you can do what you want to give you don't answer but you're not going to run the clock out on the. yes or no, is it too brutal?

i know you don't -- >> this is an attack on -- >> that may be but i five minutes. you do that procedure is too brutal? i understand if you don't want to answer but can you say when they feel it's stupid or not, yes or no? >> i feel abortion should be safe and legal spent is that procedure to prove? >> i am not a doctor. >> if you had a small ball and had to put that dog to sleep, would you think would be too brutal for the veterinary to crush the dog into different places? >> i trust women and their doctors determine what are the -- >> let the record show ms. fredrickson would not answer the question. dr. levatino, is that too brutal? >> every abortion involves the destruction of human life. i get frustrated sometimes with, well, it's not a baby, it's a fetus. i think we mostly have gotten the on the cells argument. do you know what that is? that's your son.

that's your daughter. every abortion results in a dead son or daughter. i think is absolutely gruesome and i thought the example you just get a minute ago is perfect. if i ever used a dog in my town i would be arrested. if i didn't abortions again, first trimester, second trimester i would be a hero to so many people. it's absurd. >> mr. chairman, just for the record, the point that i think disturbs so many of us is the exact response letter from ms. fredrickson. they won't say that any procedure is too far or not enough or it's too brutal. and that's the purpose of the series because there's a big difference between saying there may not be allowed to protect against something and you say there was no wrongdoing done because i think what we heard on the tape was wrongdoing. and with that i yield back.

>> i thank the gentleman and i recognize the gentleman from new york for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. we've heard a lot today about saving lives. after 23 years in congress i'm still shocked by the hypocrisy we continue here for my friends on the other side of the aisle. sent 2013 there been over 900 mass shootings across the country including 300 mass shootings since 2015. an average of more than one mass shooting every day this year. 10,128 people have been killed this year alone. americans are 20 times more likely to be killed by gun violence than people in any other developed country who are not more or less mentally ill and people in the united states. although we have just 30% of the world population the u.s. has 90% of the world's firearm homicides. i think that's 3% of the world

population or how many hearings have my republican colleagues held on gun violence since taking over the house in 2011? none. said sandy hook have been wanted for two school shootings, the most recent in oregon. since the oregon shooting 146 people have been killed and 128 shootings in the united states. not one giving. not one vote on gun violence. for comparisons sake two months ago and extremist liar released a series of heavily edited and probably illegal videos filled with lies about planned parenthood, an organization that has been providing comprehensive compassion health care to women for centuries. in the last 30 days the house has opened three official investigations, spent countless hours in hearings and just yesterday voted to establish a fourth investigation to a special select committee. we have taken 20 votes this year alone and restricting women's access to healthy. this very hearing is the committees second of three days on planned parenthood despite the fact that this entire farce

was mainly based on life. if my colleagues have one shred of evidence, they would've gone to a state or federal prosecutor right away. but they didn't and they don't. perhaps that's why one of my republican colleagues, mr. chaffetz announced on tv just last week that there is no evidence planned parenthood has broken any laws. imagine how many lives we could have saved if my colleagues had voted in one half of that attention to stop an epidemic and it is that the epidemic of gun violence in this country. by colleagues who claim we cannot possibly take any action on gun violence because of the right to own a gun is protected by the constitution. it's a very funny argument coming from the other side in light of this shameful thing. you know what else is protected by the constitution? a woman's right to access to abortion and to make her own choices about her health care and whether to get an abortion. if the same colleagues refused to take action on gun violence has no problem tossing the

constitution of the winter to impose their own moral opinions on all american women. measures passed in the state and local of put restrictions on women's right to access an abortion to women must endure invasive tests and exams, wait 48 hours before they can undergo the procedure, take time off from work, and endured endless badgering and assault from protesters anytime be tied into a clinic. famous face regulation from republicans on this committee. almost all men i may add. for making the choice to exercise her constitutional right. yet there are no such restrictions for acquiring a gun. you can walk in the gun show and walk out 15 minutes later with a semi automatic rifle. no background check, no id, to wit making sure the gun purchaser is going to someone with the proper safety training and with no history of domestic violence. imagine if we make people jump through the same hoops.

imagine the invasive questions about why aren't getting begun and one that you've considered all your options. imagine the only way to get a gun was to prove you didn't rape or assault in the past or have a lawyer certify your life isn't imminent physical danger. think about being shamed and shout it out and forced to look at graphic images of gun violence as you walk into a gunshot. that outrages you, the nagging fear the government has no right to put restrictions on your constitutional right. that is what a woman does every time she tries to make a decision about her health and about whether not to access her constitutional right to an abortion until this committee is ready to face the real christ of gun violence in our country, take a firm stand that enough is enough, these proceedings will remain hypocritical farce. ms. fredrickson, are you aware that this is for medical progress obtained its nonprofit status from the irs by representatives of the nonprofit based in biomedical research

they did not indicate the political -- is this fraud, illegal to provide false information to the irs? >> yes to your first question. they did indeed make that application and to do believe it is a fraud and illegal. >> my last question is at the moment three house committee and was moment three house committee and was sent to me on investing plan. to. the majority proposes taxpayer dollars to have a select panel. what to make of the fact is to resist attacking planned parenthood had almost none to investigating alleged illegal activity at the center for medical progress? >> i think it indicates the true agenda here is to undermine women's right to make personal decisions and consultation with her doctor and her family at exercised her constitutional right to choose her own health care. >> asked to test the three witnesses who have nothing to say about planned parenthood but have to say about abortion generally. i yield back.

>> now recognize the gentleman from iowa, mr. king. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i thank the witnesses for your testimony and just listening to the gentleman from new york about the same hoops to buy a firearm as there is to get an abortion. i would suggest in the city, for example, it probably much issue to get an abortion than it is to buy a gun or possess one or to transport one. that's true also in many states including chicago, for example, where we've seen a lot of death and the desecration that comes from violence there that doesn't seem to be troubling the minority party either. but i'm looking for your testimony, ms. fredrickson come and i noticed that in your testimony you say that you list the numbers of life-saving breast exams, a number of women whose cancer was detected early from 500,000 exams to 88,000 women with cancer detected

early. in doing that -- also it had prevented an estimated 516,000 unintended pregnancies and 217,000 abortions every day. i had not seemed planned parenthood produce a number that actually took credit for the number of abortions prevented, or excuse me the number of, yes, the number prevented. neither did i see in his testimony the number of abortions that planned parenthood does any know more year. could you tell me what that number would be? >> i believe the number is about 350,000 per year. >> but what the typical price before a typical abortion? >> i do not know. i do not work for planned parenthood. >> and could i just, state, i will come off the website $1500, and when i punched that through my calculator it was 340,000 was the number i use, rather than

350 but we're in the ballpark, and a $1500 each that turned out to be $510 million. $510 million happens be very close, identical to the exact number of the appropriations that would go into planned parenthood should the appropriations go forward, which asked out of his house house at least for a couple of months. it's hard for me to accept the idea that this is a nonprofit organization and then returned to ms. thayer. your testimony spoke to that. seen those kinds of numbers, ms. thayer, could you be convinced that planned parenthood is nonprofit? >> officially, planned parenthood is a nonprofit, but their main concern is really their bottom line. we would have monthly managers meeting via the very web cam system that installed to view the abortions, and on a spreadsheet they would have, our

goals, our quotas for every single service and supply that we have to. if we met our goal that square would be coming to if we were 5% below it would be yellow and if we were 10% below our quota it t would be red and would have have a corrective action plan on how to correct that. and abortion was one of those items. if we didn't abortions affect everything we had a goal for abortion referrals. >> could just include in your testimony with confidence that in your years working for planned parenthood, that even though planned parenthood is filed as a nonprofit, that they are profit driven? >> they are all about the profit. for example, they purchase birth control pills for $2.98 a cycle, build the iowa taxpayers $35 this cycle, and are reimbursed a little over $26 they solicit from the very women that

ms. fredrickson refer to as very low income at or below poverty level a $10 donation per cycle for each bill that goes out to each of cycle itself spin that's clearly a distinct profit that most business would like to see. i would like to turn to ms. fredrickson at or call in your testimony you talked about that gap that would be created if we didn't find planned parenthood. would you say there's no way to fill the gap of services that you testified, but there's not a way to fill that gap, some other way? >> i think we have evidence that it is nearly impossible if not impossible to fill that gap example from texas and even in louisiana would have tried to cut back on planned parenthood services and found they simply could not store the population that needed of services. >> how did planned parenthood go into this quote service closed quote and into this gap that

can't be created another way? are you submitting them that free enterprise of demand and transportation and funding and resources would not grow another entity or two or three or four or five that would feel the same demand that you are selling planned parenthood only canfield speak with with all due respect we talk about medicaid patients primarily to get the services, so no, i don't think they could be filled by the free enterprise system. >> what did you think would have? >> i think we have more unintended pregnancy and openly unfortunately more abortions state i just suspect the witness hasn't considered how this comes together, how free enterprise moves and accepts medicaid checks, et cetera, the clinic assistance work, how health care providers are able to take a look at the marketplace and supply a demand. i suggest that would be supplied without any grave concern and i would yield back. >> i thank the gentleman and i know recognize myself now for five minutes for questions.

forgive me, i recognize now ms. jackson lee for five minut minutes. >> let me thank you very much, all the witnesses. win and we have witnesses come it's appropriate for members of congress to thank you because we know the sacrifice that you make to come to let me also say that this is a judiciary committee and it is important for us to be fact-finding but also to maintain and adhere to current stated statutory or court law that sets a precedent for the actions that may be in place now. obviously, as legislators we have the right to make determination. let me also say that i respect and appreciate the differences of opinion that are in this room and among those in the audience and on the panel as well. i'm interested in the truth but i am one who has known people and have lived through the back

alley abortions and seen so many people suffer and die because of choices that they intelligently wanted to make, desperately have to make, it didn't have the adequate medical care, consultation that was needed. let me thank you, doctor, anytime i see a doctor i want to thank you for taking the oath and recognizing the need for good care. but i do want to go back to what this thing is all about. are you representing him as i understand you're under oath. are you representing that they figure you showed was to planned parenthood video? >> no, ma'am, i am not. the reason i brought to you forward -- >> i have a short period of time. so that is not a planned parenthood video? >> that is not. >> that healing is "planned parenthood exposed: examing abortion procedures and medical ethics at the nation's largest abortion provider" -- the hearing.

ms. thayer, are you a lawyer? >> no, ma'am. >> are you tak take a nonprofitw speak with no. no. >> would you then have a legal understanding of the rights come responsibilities of a nonprofit and what they are allowed to be? >> i read a nonprofit for almost -- >> but are you a lawyer who understands the law of nonprofit 501(c)(3)? >> no, but i did have an understanding that -- >> but not for medical perception question would not be able to discern the appropriate response for federal funding being used for medicaid, health care matters versus things that you have now become a post in which is your right to do? not from a legal perspective speak was one of my biggest concerns was why they're there s soliciting donations, require donations for medicaid eligible women. i knew that wasn't right. >> is something you are submitting into the record? do you have statements from the medicaid women that were solicited? >> i didn't ever get that i worked there.

they are pelzer $35. the donation is $10. will that be cash or credit? >> the understanding of the bylaws of planned parenthood just what those requests might be, they have every right to engage him on a sync it's true, and a voluntary perspective. let me move come in a voluntary request that someone voluntarily may decide to do, but let me go to ms. fredrickson and set the tone for this particular hearing. it has been said by congressman chaffetz, chairman of the oversight committee among many hearings that planned parenthood did come if i may quote correctly, violate no longer is roe v. wade of the law of the land? >> yes, it is spent is about the right for women to choose? >> yes. >> it's no billboard pronouncement that we're promoting abortion. is that the case with the loss of is on the ninth amendment the right to privacy.

>> under the constitution women have a right to make those decisions spin not an advertisement for abortion but it is right to privacy. >> yes. >> let me say that the political agenda that has been framed, many of you have seen him i'm not going to answer that question but i'd like to focus on your understanding of what planned parenthood does. do they legitimately have health care for women's? >> planned parenthood is our nation's leading provider of reproductive health care for women. they provide a critical service. one in five american women go to a planned parenthood clinic in their life spins let me pursue another line of questioning. in order to make sure we know we have planned parenthood has a medical structure, as i understand abortion care is include and continued medical need including education extension of abortion is 99% safety record the more important to 57,000 members of the american congress of

obstetricians and gynecologists maintains the high standard of clinical practice have indicated that that is the case that there's misinformation about how abortions today are handled. remember what i said come back out and coathanger. are you familiar with the contrast of white women went through 20, 30 years ago speak with yes, i understand that before roe v. wade many women died in back alley abortions and that it's a tremendous advancement in this country to safe and legal abortions available for women spent the day at the fourth amendment as well. let me just ask this question as i close. on this nvidia are easily with the name, his name is -- [inaudible] spent from the figures, yes. >> do you realize that is not publicly release the entire and edited a video? >> so i understand no member of this committee has seen the

entire and edited the disco yes spent deeply -- do you recognize he's taken a definite? >> yes. >> do you understand he sold the id of a fellow classmate in high school who happened to be a feminist in order to portray these distorted political and biased to be just? >> yes, i that is the case. >> if we are here to fin find te facts, is not factual that all the things we've not heard of any statement about planned parenthood, in essence violate the law, roe v. wade, constitution and nimitz and the bill of rights, have you heard it? >> no. no one has been able to substantiate any allegations of wrongdoing against planned parenthood, and he didn't mr. chaffetz has agreed that there is no wrongdoing spent a gentlelady's time has expired spent point of parliamentary inquiry. >> state your point spent i

would like to know what the proper procedure would be, i think this witness has just testified, this hearing is entitled "planned parenthood exposed: examing abortion procedures and medical ethics at the nation's largest abortion provider." this witness played a tape that he is not admitted under oath was not prepared in connection with planned parenthood at all at the i ask that it be stricken from the record at this hearing. >> the chair is the judge of relevancy of the gentlemen had never suggested that -- >> having a hearing on planned parenthood with a clear indication that he would love to getting. it's not that i would make a motion to strike it from the record. >> which also include in your motion for judgment from new york's testimony on gun-control? >> that was volunteered my motion is on the recording that dr. levatino admitted has nothing to -- >> mr. levy teeing up made his comments about guns almost entirely -- >> point of order i have made a

motion. that that be stricken from the record as their military hearing on planned parenthood and ask for a vote on my request. >> i will second the motion. >> all those in favor say aye -- >> strike from the record debated which is not prepared or generate in connection with any service by planned parenthood as not relevant. >> mr. chairman speak with mr. chairman, there's been a vote. >> reservinvote. >> reserving the right to reject those unanimous consent to reject. the joe madison i wouldn't object at the time that information was entered into the record. >> and that is not true. that's not corrected it was not a unanimous consent. spent i have the floor spent all those in favor say i ago. dashing say i go. in the opinion of the chair the no's have it. >> i ask for a recorded vote.

>> i wonder if we will be able to strike the video from your memory spent all i'm asking is it be stricken from the record of missing. it has nothing to do with the subject matter at hand spent ask for a recorded vote, mr. chairman. >> recorded vote has been asked. the clerk will call the roll. [inaudible conversations] >> mr. chairman, regular order. can the clerk call the roll? mr. chairman?

[roll call] [roll call]

[roll call] [roll call]

[roll call] [roll call]

[roll call] >> regular order. results, please. can we have the results? >> mr. chairman? >> mr. chairman? [inaudible conversations] >> mr. chairman? >> the clerk will now -- >> mr. chairman? >> record the vote.

>> mr. forbes? >> parliamentary inquiry. as i understand this is a motion -- >> point of order. spent i will ask the ruling from the chair and take time to ask with the parliamentarian. >> record the vote. >> mr. chairman can consider that. spent stage of inquiry. >> mr. chairman, i just want to ask you this was a motion to strike testimony of a witness or a video, and if we had such a motion because i don't recall ever having one industry where we were striking testimony of witnesses that have been made in here. >> as i understand, mr. forbes, a minority is asking to strike the video which, of course, was given to them days ago and it's no surprise to them in any way. is that correct? >> given to us yesterday morning spent that's the motion, yes.

>> regular order. can we have the vote -- >> this is regular order spent i will wait until it is quite and then i will state my parliamentary procedure once they have gotten quiet. okay, they are finally caught. mr. chairman, have we had a procedure before under our parliamentary rules to strike evidenced by the witness box because i don't ever remember when taking place in this committee. >> i'm told not in this committee. >> okay. >> all right. pleased to announce the vote. >> mr. chairman? >> mr. chabot? >> mr. chabot's vote no. >> nine members voted i ago, seven members voted no. >> the motion is agreed to.

now recognize myself for five minutes for questions. you know, one of the hallmarks of humanity throughout history is our astonishing proclivity as human beings to obscure rationalize away any controversial truths. in our own minds or before others to achieve some solidarity or temporary acceptance with her own insular. group. is always astonished me to what links we go on this issue. and i think i know why. because we never really ask this central question. at the central question is, does abortion kills a little baby? if abortion doesn't kill a baby that i am here to pretty much

suggest that we shouldn't be having such a hearing or anything like that. but if abortion really does kyle pashtun really does kill a little baby than those of us seated in the greatest nation in history of the world, the land of the free and home of the brave come are sitting in the midst of the greatest human genocide in the history of humanity. and the victims are the most helpless of all children. we recently had a vote in the house of representatives to protect born alive children. there was not one person to my left that voted for that bill. born alive children. and i would just suggest that if we had come to the moment in american where we no longer are willing to protect born alive children, then it is time to

reassess who we are and whether not the founding fathers dream still has in place in our society. mr. levy keno, if the child is born alive during an abortion procedure, doctors and ethical duty to save the child, correct? >> he does it is an ethical duty to provide care. was as life-saving or palliative. >> well, the president of planned parenthood cecil richards has said in testimony that should never of such a circumstance happening at planned parenthood clinics. do you believe that among the hundreds of thousands of abortion planned parenthood commits every year that they are, in fact, children born alive but died because they did not receive appropriate care? >> i can't speak specifically to express regarding planned parenthood in that regard. the reason i introduced the video was because planned parenthood has stated that we understand that they do perform

late-term abortions. it is instead i believe by ms. richard that they perform late-term abortions of up to viability but i was never defined. if you're going to talk about late-term abortions in terms of planned parenthood you need to know what the techniques are the that's why introduced the testimony that i did. >> based on your experience what is your assessment of how low income women's health care could be met without planned parenthood? >> with all respect to ms. fredrickson, her assertion and backing it up with statements from other people that it is quote, ludacris were her words, that other providers could ethically take on planned parenthood patients, the statement itself is ludicrous. it's interesting come if you want to learn about low income women and health care you should come to southern new mexico. where i worked for over 13

years. here's a map. the planned parenthood assumes in new mexico are in albuquerque, santa fe and farmington from the three richest areas in the state. there isn't a single planned parenthood south of my county in new mexico has been for over a decade. the county where i work as one the poorest counties in the country and if you want to understand about indigent care and come there, please. ms. richardson talked specifically about the health care that planned parenthood provides, specifically family planning, counseling and contraception, pregnancy tests, pap smears and breast exams. oh, and std testing which she did not mention in a testament that was in her written test and. those are the services they provide. the poor people in my area get not deceptive counseling, pap

smears comp breast exams and truly comprehensive health care from our health care clinics. you have heard that there are over 16,000 health care clinics across the country. look at my map again. this is covering in new mexico in terms of those very same health clinics. and unlike planned parenthood, they are not a nine to five this is monday through friday. they either 24 hours a day to serve their women. their women get taken care of not only continue just pap smears for breast exams. they get taken care of if have a headache or knowledge of or a stroke or a heart attack or all the other things that happen. that's a we call comprehensive health care and that's what is available at these clinics. $500 million come as a dog i would give you my opinion. $500 million poured into planned parenthood would be far better served, those women across the country would be far better served if that money was put into community health centers where women can get truly comprehensive care.

not just pap smears and breast exams. >> i thank the gentleman, and now i would recognize i believe mr. cowen from tennessee for five minutes. >> thank you, sir. ms. lofgren. >> thank you, mr. chairman. this hearing is disappointing in so many ways. it's really hard to begin. but let me just say it is a myth to think that if we were able to defund planned parenthood which i think legally we couldn't do, i mean, that there is the capacity to provide medical services to the women who are being served. and the last time that we had a hearing in this committee on the same subject i put a letter into the record at that hearing from the california nonprofit clinic saying they didn't have the capacity to pick up the caseload

of planned parenthood. just flat out they could not do it. there's been a lot of discussion about abortion here today. abortion is a very emotional subject for people in this country and i think that is why we've ended up in the situation we have, which is there is no federal funding for abortion. no federal funding for abortion comments at the of the effort to cut off funding for planned parenthood would succeed, we would cut off contraception but we would not cut off abortion, which is an absurd result, i must say. you know, i have known women who have had abortions come and i've never met a woman who felt happy about it. this is not a festive occasion. it's a situation where women find themselves, they make a

choice instead of the government telling them what to do. i think of the daughter-in-law of a dear friend of mine who had an abortion late in her pregnancy when she found out that the much wanted child she was carrying had all of her brains had formed outside of the cranium. this child was not going to live, and she and her husband were devastated, but she was told by her physician had if she carried this child to term, not only with a child by but she might die, and certainly she would never have the chance of having another child. we think about the women all over the country who struggle with this decision and make a decision, but one of the important things is to provide the contraception so that women don't have to be faced with that terrible decision. and i do think one of those most

important things that planned parenthood does is to provide birth control to women who want to control their own fertility. and if we were to cut off funding for planned parenthood, that would not be available to the women, many women, who live in my community in san jose and in gilroy. that which is to be available and i think that would be a very wrong thing. i think there's been a lot of dirt in the air about the planned parenthood as an institution i would just say that planned parenthood in san jose is a well respected organization. i know thousands of women who have told me how much they rely upon planned parenthood, not only for pap smears and birth control and for cancer screenings, but they even do some pediatric care. they are full-service and it's

really important and it will trusted institution, in my district, and that's what i hear from families and from women back home. this is in contrast to some of the things that instead here in washington. earlier in the oversight and government reform committee there was a chart indicating that planned parenthood perform more abortions than life-saving procedures in 2013. i wonder, ms. fredrickson, did you look at the chart? dgc bearing? >> no. i didn't see that chart. >> i don't think that that's an accurate chart. in fact, i think it has since been proven that that is not correct. let me ask you about, we put all these hearings about planned parenthood. there's nothing any evidence that planned parenthood has violated the law in any way. are you aware of any hearings that have been held about this

cmp group, about whether they filed false tax returns, whether they were operating in compliance with the long? >> so far actively there been any congressional inquiries. ..