CONGRESSMAN CHRIS VAN HOLLEN
Maryland’s 8th District
For Immediate Release
May 13, 2016
Van Hollen Condemns Dangerous and Wasteful Investigation of Maryland Health Care Providers
Van Hollen Calls for Panel to be Disbanded
Washington, DC – Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen sent a letter to Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chairman of the Select Investigative Panel conducting a partisan witch hunt against women’s health care providers, condemning the Panel for its inappropriate tactics that are putting Maryland health care providers and patients at risk.
“I write to you with deep concerns about the outrageous and deeply inappropriate conduct of the Select Investigative Panel,” Congressman Van Hollen wrote. “The Panel recently subpoenaed and publicly released the names of nine entities in Maryland – endangering the safety of patients and health care professionals – without a legitimate basis for doing so.”
He continued, “We should be investing in women’s health instead of wasting valuable taxpayer resources on this political witch hunt. It is time to stop the war on women’s reproductive health care choices and to disband your dangerous and wasteful Panel.”
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear Chairman Blackburn,
I write to you with deep concerns about the outrageous and deeply inappropriate conduct of the Select Investigative Panel. The Panel recently subpoenaed and publicly released the names of nine entities in Maryland – endangering the safety of patients and health care professionals – without a legitimate basis for doing so.
Republicans continue to wage a war against women’s reproductive health care choices. Your politically motivated tactic of publicly releasing the names of abortion affiliated entities is another shameful attempt to intimidate health care professionals and take essential health services away from women. Since the release of last year’s highly edited and inflammatory videos about Planned Parenthood, there has been an increase of violence and threats against patients, health care professionals, and clinics. Despite the recent grand jury in Texas clearing Planned Parenthood of any wrongdoing, the Panel continues to use aggressive and false rhetoric claiming Planned Parenthood is selling body parts.
There is no valid need to publicize the name of the entities being subpoenaed. Your action serves only to put patients and health care professional lives and livelihoods in danger. No patient should feel intimidated or threatened while making deeply personal decisions about their bodies. Nor should any health care professional have to practice in the dark or risk their own safety to ensure their patients have access to legal and safe reproductive health care services.
Just this week, Maryland signed into law the most comprehensive expansion of contraceptive coverage in the nation which will help families avoid unplanned pregnancies, making your attack on Maryland doctors and health care providers all the more cynical. Maryland stands as an example of the direction we should move as a country, but extreme anti-choice voices like those on your Panel are fighting to deny women their constitutionally affirmed rights. We should be investing in women’s health instead of wasting valuable taxpayer resources on this political witch hunt. It is time to stop the war on women’s reproductive health care choices and to disband your dangerous and wasteful Panel.
Sincerely,
Chris Van Hollen
Member of Congress
