Legislative Update on Planned Parenthood Investigation, Kate’s Law and More

August 5, 2015

Planned Parenthood Investigation Update

Last week, the Texas Senate Health and Human Services Committee began it’s investigation into the alleged marketing and sale of organs derived from aborted babies. The committee is examining the business practices of Planned Parenthood and also whether state or federal laws were broken. Witnesses discussed ways to strengthen laws regulating abortion providers and further restrictions on the sale of fetal tissue.

The committee invited Planned Parenthood to testify but only minutes before the hearing began Planned Parenthood declined to appear and answer questions. Instead of testifying, representatives of Planned Parenthood held a rally outside the Capitol.

I believe these videos and the testimony only furthers what we in the pro-life community have long known – Planned Parenthood has very little to do with women’s health and is more about financial gain.

I am proud to have voted again this year to continue Texas’ defunding of Planned Parenthood and to receive a 100% rating from Texas Right to Life.

Kate’s Law

Last week I also signed a letter with colleagues encouraging the Texas Congressional Delegation to enact Kate’s Law. Under the proposed federal law, previously deported criminal aliens who return illegally to the United States would be subject to mandatory jail terms of five years upon conviction. This legislation is named for Kate Steinle, a young woman who was murdered by a criminal alien in San Francisco with multiple prior criminal convictions and five previous deportations.

To view the letter, click HERE.

Successful ALEC Annual Meeting

I am proud to serve as this year’s national chair of the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC’s membership includes 25% of America’s state legislators. Our private sector members create over 30 million jobs in America. Our mission is to bring business leaders, subject matter experts, and state officials together to develop policies that promote free markets, limited government and the rebalancing of state and federal powers.

I just returned from ALEC’s summer conference where over 1,300 attendees (350 first-time attendees) and 71 members of the media heard from presidential candidates, participated in dozens of workshops and training sessions and discussed free-market policies that will have a measurable impact on economic freedom in the states.

Pictured from left to right: Lisa Nelson, CEO of ALEC; Rep. Linda Upmeyer, Iowa Majority Leader; Gov. Mike Huckabee; Rep. Phil King; Sen. Leah Vukmir, Wisconsin; Sen. Jim Buck, Indiana

Pictured from left to right: Rep. Linda Upmeyer, Iowa Majority Leader; Rep. Phil King; Gov. Scott Walker; Sen. Leah Vukmir, Wisconsin; Sen. Bill Cadman, Colorado Senate President