Planned Parenthood claims to play a ‘unique role’ in Obama administration

Washington D.C., Apr 15, 2009 / 01:51 am

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) has over $1 billion in assets and claims an increase of 15,560 abortions in 2007, its annual report for 2007-2008 reveals. Praising the “new direction” of the United States, the largest abortion provider in the U.S. says it will play a “unique role” in shaping the Obama administration’s health agenda.

The letter introducing the report, signed by Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards and Elena Marks, PPFA chairwoman, professes “enormous optimism” about “the new direction of our country and new opportunities to make lasting change in the lives of women and families, here and around the globe.”

“Planned Parenthood is the leading sexual and reproductive health care advocate and provider, with 93 years under our belt,” the letter continues, adding “And in the near future, we will play a unique role in helping to shape the health agenda for the new administration.”

According to the PPFA report, in 2006 Planned Parenthood clinics performed 289,750 abortions and in 2007 performed 305,310 such killing procedures, CNSNews.com says.

Tom McClusky, vice president of the Family Research Council Action, told CNSNews.com the numbers reflect a continual increase in the number of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood. Since 1977, not counting referrals to other clinics, the organization’s abortion clinics have accounted for 4.8 million abortions.

The Planned Parenthood report claims a 100 percent increase in the number of adoption referrals in 2007. In 2006 the organization made 2,410 adoption referrals while it made 4,912 in 2007.

McClusky said this increase was an exception, as very low numbers of referrals had been reported in previous years. None were reported in 2005.

According to the PPFA report, abortion accounts for three percent of services provided by Planned Parenthood. Contraceptives make up 36 percent of the organization’s services.

However, the report does not provide details on how Planned Parenthood spends the more than $300 million it receives from federal funding. Federal law prohibits federal dollars being used for abortions.

In addition to government funding, Planned Parenthood also earned more than $374 million from its clinics and $186 million in “contributions and bequests.”

The organization’s worldwide clinics earned $6.9 million. It claimed to have reached 935,000 individuals in 20 developing countries and also claimed to have supported their “vital work” with more than $2.5 million in grants in 2008.

President Barack Obama’s rescindment of the Mexico City Policy, which barred federal funding for organizations which promote or perform abortions overseas, could help fund Planned Parenthood’s international efforts.