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“PLANNED PARENTHOOD INVESTIGATION” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H9850 on Dec. 13, 2017.
The Department is one of the oldest in the US, focused primarily on law enforcement and the federal prison system. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, detailed wasteful expenses such as $16 muffins at conferences and board meetings.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PLANNED PARENTHOOD INVESTIGATION
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Alabama (Mrs. Roby) for 5 minutes.
Mrs. ROBY. Mr. Speaker, a few days ago, we learned of the Department of Justice's decision to open an investigation in the appalling practice of abortion providers harvesting and trafficking aborted babies' body parts for profit--finally.
Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues surely remember, in July of 2015, senior Planned Parenthood officials were caught on camera discussing how abortion procedures could systematically be altered in order to preserve certain organs so that they could be sold to researchers. They talked of ``crushing'' here and ``crushing'' there, being careful to preserve little parts of a baby's body because they are valuable on the research market. They talked of menus for organs and how lucrative these arrangements could be.
It was sick, callous, and completely inhuman. It also happens to be against the law. Soon thereafter, several of my colleagues and I called for an investigation into these disturbing revelations.
But, Mr. Speaker, our demands fell on deaf ears. Attorney General Loretta Lynch turned a blind eye and didn't pursue an investigation. Even after multiple congressional committees referred their own investigations to the authorities at the Department of Justice, nothing was done.
At the time, I said it was disappointing, but hardly surprising. We all know how much political weight Planned Parenthood throws around in this town. But, Mr. Speaker, in this country, no one is above the law.
That is why I was so pleased to receive word that the Department of Justice, now under the leadership of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, appears to be following up on the evidence and taking our calls for an investigation seriously.
In a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd, who I am proud to say was formerly my chief of staff, requested unredacted documents from the committee's investigation into the suspected harvesting and trafficking of fetal tissue. He said, for now, the documents are for investigative use only, and a formal resolution may be required for further proceedings, such as a grand jury.
I appreciate the Department of Justice's attention to this, and I know I am not the only one who will be watching this closely.
When the terrible videos first surfaced in 2015, I immediately came to the House floor and stood right here in the well and spoke out about this outrageous activity. Someone later told me I was the first one to speak on the floor, and, Mr. Speaker, I will be the last, if I have to.
I said then: ``I promise . . . we are not done talking about this.'' Today, I am glad that has proven to be true.
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