Key Takeaways:
- Over 180 pro-life lawmakers are urging Congress to stop federal funding for Planned Parenthood.
- Planned Parenthood receives tens of millions of taxpayer dollars annually.
- The group performs around 400,000 abortions every year.
- Lawmakers claim Planned Parenthood provides poor care and opposes health safety standards.
- They argue women have better options for care at federally funded health centers.
Pro-Life Lawmakers Demand End to Planned Parenthood Funding
A group of pro-life lawmakers is calling on Congress to take action against Planned Parenthood, one of the nation’s largest abortion providers. They want to stop the organization from receiving federal funding, arguing that taxpayer money should not support abortions.
In a letter to Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the lawmakers expressed deep concern. They pointed out that Planned Parenthood receives hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers every year. Despite this, the organization performs nearly 400,000 abortions annually, according to its own reports.
“Big abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood are taking advantage of unborn children and harming women, all while using taxpayer money,” the letter states. It calls on Republicans to use the budget reconciliation process to defund organizations like Planned Parenthood.
Poor Care and Safety Issues at Planned Parenthood
The letter also highlights several shocking incidents at Planned Parenthood clinics. In one case, a woman gave birth to a baby who died shortly after because the abortion provider failed to remove the child. In another incident, a clinic in Nebraska gave a woman an IUD without realizing she was four months pregnant. Hours later, she delivered a stillborn baby.
“Planned Parenthood has consistently opposed basic health and safety standards for its facilities,” the letter claims. “Women deserve better care than this.”
Lawmakers argue that women can find better and more comprehensive care at Federally Qualified Health Centers and community health centers. These centers outnumber Planned Parenthoods and provide a wide range of services.
Lawmakers Speak Out Against Funding
Pennsylvania Rep. Kathy Rapp, a strong pro-life advocate, shared her frustration with continued funding for Planned Parenthood. “I believe it’s time to send a clear message to Congress and the White House,” she said. “Most Americans don’t want their tax dollars going to an organization that primarily focuses on abortions when other options are available for women’s health care.”
Rapp emphasized that women have better choices for prenatal and maternal health services. “We should support organizations that prioritize life and proper care, not those that destroy it.”
Legal Challenges Against Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood is also facing legal trouble. The state of Missouri is suing the organization for allegedly helping a man traffic a 13-year-old girl across state lines for an abortion without her parents’ knowledge. This case has brought even more attention to the group’s practices.
What’s Next?
The lawmakers are urging Republican leaders to act quickly, especially since they control both the House and Senate. They want the next budget reconciliation bill to include measures to defund “big abortion” providers like Planned Parenthood.
“With a Republican trifecta in Washington, it’s time to take action,” the letter says. “Taxpayers should not be forced to support organizations that harm women and unborn children.”
Planned Parenthood did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations.
For now, the future of federal funding for Planned Parenthood remains uncertain. Pro-life lawmakers are determined to make sure that taxpayer money is used for life-saving services, not abortions. Only time will tell if they succeed in their mission to defund one of the nation’s largest abortion providers.