Defunding Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion business in the United States, performs 305,310 abortions a year, or just under one-third of all American abortions. In their 2007-2008 fiscal year, this non-profit organization made $85 million. That same year, they had an operating budget of $1 billion dollars with $350 million of that coming from government grants and contracts, or in other words - your tax dollars.

According to Jim Sedlak, the director of the watchdog group, STOPP International, "Planned Parenthood relies heavily on taxpayer funding of its operations. Taxpayer funding provides 33.7 percent of its total income,"

In early February, it was revealed that a clinic manager at a New Jersey Planned Parenthood was providing assistance to a sex-trafficking ring and instructing them on how to obtain abortions for girls without parental consent. (see video below)

Even though Planned Parenthood called the undercover video made by the pro-life group, Live Action, "a hoax", the manager was still fired. President Barack Obama says this video was "manufactured" and continues to praise Planned Parenthood.

In years past, many pro-life organizations, people and politicians have called for the defunding of Planned Parenthood but the recent actions of Planned Parenthood have put a renewed fire in those involved in the pro-life movement. Shortly after this and other videos from Planned Parenthood clinics in Virginia were released, many pro-life organizations such as Focus on the Family, 40 Days for Lifeand Americans United for Life(AUL) rallied it supporters to try to defund Planned Parenthood and called for an investigation into their criminal activities.

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President of AUL, said, "We are calling for an immediate Congressional Investigation into Planned Parenthood's nefarious operations and we will not rest until every last taxpayer dime has been cut off."

The organization also asked Congress to freeze Planned Parenthood's current funding and to bring their President before a Congressional committee.

"If you look at all the evidence in several projects, you will see that Planned Parenthood is not helping people to plan families, they're helping people to kill babies and hurt women," Alveda King, activist and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On February 18, 2011, the House of Representatives voted in favor of a proposal that was put forth by Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) This amendment would ban all federal funding to Planned Parenthood and eliminate Title X which is a program that aids for family planning and reproductive health. As a result, the government would save an estimated $363 million in the 2011 federal budget. House members debated for nearly three hours and in the end, the Pence amendment passed 240 to 145.

After the vote, Penney Nance, CEO of the group Concerned Women for America said," We are very grateful to the House of Representatives and its leadership for listening to the American people, Now it's time for the U.S. Senate to follow suit and finally cut off all federal funding to an organization that is willing to aid and abet sex traffickers."

But will the Democrat-controlled Senate follow suit? Stay tuned...