View today’s video of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor’s floor remarks

Like the Select Committee on Benghazi, which has squandered a total of more than $4.5 million since it was established 72 weeks ago, House Republicans are once again abusing power and taxpayer money on another witch-hunt. This time their target is Planned Parenthood and women’s health care. A resolution to create this select committee is under consideration today.

“Rather than focus on our nation’s challenges, like our crumbling infrastructure and increasing wages, House Republicans instead propose to waste taxpayer money on yet another investigative committee,” said U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, who serves on the House Budget Committee. “Republicans should get back to lifting American families and businesses and solve the budget impasse that threatens to shutter the government in December.”

“In a recent letter to congressional leaders, I highlighted the concerns of the Tampa Bay region over the failure to address the budget caps and the failure to have a long term appropriations plan. Such impasses and uncertainties threaten medical research, education, help for veterans, and especially the defense community and MacDill Air Force Base, where anxiety is high over the impact of a short-term continuing resolution and other Republican budget gimmicks. Uncertainty is the last thing CENTCOM, SOCOM and the Air Mobility Wing need for their military missions and ability to plan for the future.

“House Republicans obviously are coordinating a broad-based smear campaign against Planned Parenthood as we have seen in Florida, where Gov. Rick Scott wasted taxpayer money on a witch-hunt of the state’s Planned Parenthood clinics. When these clinics were cleared of any wrongdoing, Gov. Scott’s press shop went as far as to omit this information that showed that they were in compliance with all state laws.

“I urge my Republican colleagues to get back to the business of America, support our military missions and invest in our education, infrastructure and innovative research that spurs economic development.”

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