The following is a release from Congresswoman Suzan Delbene:

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) on Friday fought the latest Republican attempt to defund Planned Parenthood through a one-year moratorium. The House passed the Defund Planned Parenthood Act in a 241-187 vote, sending it to the Senate.

DelBene’s speech, as prepared for delivery, is below:

“This feels like déjà vu. Once again, the House is ignoring the challenges facing our nation in order to attack women’s health. Already this year, the House has voted to restrict reproductive healthcare in private insurance, enact a sweeping 20-week abortion ban and allow employers to discriminate against their workers for using birth control.

“Now, with just five legislative days before a shutdown, we’re wasting our time on a bill the President has said he’ll veto. It’s past time for Congress to stop focusing on ideology and start focusing on the facts. And the fact is defunding Planned Parenthood would have a devastating effect on women’s access to healthcare. That care includes cancer screenings, immunizations and birth control.

“And as my colleagues are well aware, current law already prevents federal funding for abortion services. It’s shameful that the House is allowing the reckless actions of a few extremists to jeopardize the critical safety net provided by Planned Parenthood. We cannot let that happen. I urge my colleagues to vote no and I yield back.”

Each year, Planned Parenthood health centers provide essential healthcare, such as cancer screenings and immunizations, to 2.7 million patients. It is estimated that one in five women in the United States has visited a Planned Parenthood health center in her lifetime.