Louisiana lawmaker stripped of health committee post for proposing to sterilize low-income women.

Last month, Louisiana state Rep. John LaBruzzo (R) announced a plan “to pay poor women $1,000 to have their Fallopian tubes tied,” along with “tax incentives for college-educated, higher-income people to have more children.” He predicted that people would “get excited” about his idea. After intense public backlash, however, he was removed yesterday from his position as vice chairman of the House Health and Welfare Committee. House Speaker Jim Tucker (R) said Labruzzo’s comments “impeded his abilities to help lead critical health-care reform.”