There are those in the conservative movement that are more comfortable addressing fiscal issues, and want to pretend social issues don't matter as much. We at Illinois Review strongly disagree with that idea, because fiscal and social issues commonly intersect.
For instance, it is a fiscal waste if Planned Parenthood is fraudulently raking in taxpayer dollars to pay overcharges on pharmaceuticals, medical services and non-existent procedures. But it's also a social travesty if the $1 million in taxpayer dollars that flow each day into Planned Parenthoods nationwide are being used to victimize America's young girls and vulnerable women.
Along with several other Congress members, Illinois' U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14) reviewed a report released by Americans United for Life and found an array of questions about Planned Parenthood and the organization's shady practices to warrant a Congressional investigation.
Last Thursday in Washington D.C, freshmen Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) and Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL) held a news conference calling for an investigation. Videos of these and other Congressional leaders that attended the news conference - including Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Diane Black (R-TN), Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH), Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), and Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) - are viewable on AUL's website.
We applaud these efforts to clean up any taxpayer dollar waste and abuse, and stand alongside Rep. Hultgren, whose remarks at the news conference are below:
