Congressional Hearings: Planned Parenthood Exposed

Earlier this month, on September 9th, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled, "Planned Parenthood Exposed: Examining the Horrific Abortion Practices at the Nation's Largest Abortion Provider." Per our class discussion, it seemed likely that a hearing with this name would have been a definite"punishment hearing," meant to embarrass Planned Parenthood's representative.  Interestingly enough, though, the organization under investigation was not included as a witness.  Testifying at the hearing were two abortion survivors, Ms. Melissa Ohden and Ms. Gianna Jessen, the General Counsel for the National Right to Life, James Bopp, Jr., and Priscilla J. Smith, Director and Senior Fellow at the Program for the Study of Reproductive Justice, Information Society Project at Yale.  In his closing statement, Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) stated, "Today’s hearing is another step in the Committee’s ongoing investigation into the atrocities allegedly committed by Planned Parenthood. This hearing was the first opportunity for Members of Congress and the American people to hear from legal experts and abortion survivors alike on the horrors of Planned Parenthood’s practices." In fact, this hearing is the first in a series of Committee hearings on Planned Parenthood's actions. Perhaps in subsequent hearings on this issue they will invite Planned Parenthood to speak before the committee on the alleged atrocities. 

Press Release on the September 9th Hearing:  http://www.judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?id=512DFAE6-EF55-4127-A1FB-5E2B7A79E5FB

General Information of the House Judiciary Committee's Investigation into Planned Parenthood:  http://www.judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/investigation-into-planned-parenthood