Politicians call for defunding Planned Parenthood after reports of pornography promotion

Washington D.C., Feb 28, 2008 / 20:50 pm

Following recent revelations that a Planned Parenthood youth site has been promoting pornography to teenagers, three House representatives have called for the termination of Planned Parenthood’s federal funding, Cybercast News Service reports.

A 2007 article on the Planned Parenthood-sponsored Teenwire.com website advised pornography use as a “lower-risk form of outercourse.”  "Many couples can read or watch sexy stories or pictures together," the article stated. "They can also share or act out sex fantasies.”

Another advice piece, “Porn vs. Reality,” noted that it is against federal law for anyone under 18 to view pornography.  The article then says “however, not everyone follows the rules, and you may run across some porn before you turn 18.”  The also article said that many people enjoy pornography “alone or with a partner.”  It continued, “People have different ideas of what is arousing, and there are many different kinds of porn that appeal to people's different interests."

Three House Republicans spoke to Cybercast News Service after reviewing the materials from Teenwire.com. 

Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado said the site "is another reason we should pull all federal funding from Planned Parenthood."  He continued, "Time and time again this organization has used taxpayer dollars to promote interests that are not in step with the values of the American people."

"We should shut off all federal dollars to any organization that provides abortion services or counseling," Iowa Rep. Steve King added. "There should be no money that goes to any Internet site that promotes promiscuity or sexual license in any way. If there is going to be sexual license promoted, let that happen some place else. But the federal government should not be subsidizing it," he said.

Rep. Joseph Pitts of Pennsylvania also condemned the funding of the material.  "I don't believe taxpayer funding should be going to groups that put sexually explicit material on the Internet targeted at minors," he told Cybercast News Service.  "Parents today already have their work cut out for them trying to keep their kids from viewing smut on the Internet.

"The federal government shouldn't be funding groups that produce this sort of material under the pretense that it is educational," he said.

Planned Parenthood and similar family planning organizations are funded under Title X of the Public Service Health Act.  In its 2005-2006 annual report, Planned Parenthood Federation of America reported that $305.3 million, 34 percent of its annual income, came from government grants and contracts.