A group of Republican senators, led by Iowa’s Joni Ernst, introduced legislation Tuesday to strip Planned Parenthood Federation of America of the more than $500 million of taxpayer money that it receives every year.
The bill comes after the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress released undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood officials talking with disturbing frankness about selling the organs of unborn children to research facilities.
The group’s affiliates across the country performed 327,653 abortion procedures in 2013, according to its most recent annual report. That report shows that Planned Parenthood took more $528 million in federal money, 41 percent of its revenue.
“As a mother and grandmother, I find this footage of Planned Parenthood’s role in the harvesting of the organs of unborn babies morally reprehensible and vile,” Ernst said in a statement. “The American people are horrified by these videos as well. Simply put, this legislation ensures that funding for women’s health is protected and that taxpayer dollars will not go to Planned Parenthood.”
The group’s affiliates and national office reported $77.9 million in “other operating revenue.” No word on how much of that revenue came from the sale of aborted babies’ body parts.
Nineteen senators are cosponsoring the legislation. They are:
“The horrendous videos of senior executives from Planned Parenthood discussing in callous tones and shocking detail their role in a national scandal requires a congressional response,” McConnell said. “Our constituents demand it; the unborn deserve it.”
No Democrats have joined in cosponsoring the bill so far.
“Every member of the Senate and every member of the House should stand together and say: under no circumstances should federal taxpayer dollars, your money and my money, be sent to Planned Parenthood,” said Cruz. “I commend my colleagues for introducing this bill and am honored to stand with them in this important fight.”
Read the bill:
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