Washington D.C., Jun 17, 2010 / 05:27 am
A report released by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveals over $1 billion in U.S. taxpayer money going to organizations that promote or provide abortions, including Planned Parenthood. Pro-life leaders have responded to these findings by calling for Congress to change their policies on federal funding.
The 33-page report was requested by Rep. Pete Olson (R-Texas), and strongly supported by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the co-chair of the House Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, as well as other members of Congress.
The report discovered that six organizations connected to the abortion industry received over a billion dollars in federal funds between 2002 and 2009. The organizations include Planned Parenthood Federation of America, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Population Council of the United States, Guttmacher Institute, Advocates for Youth and Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America alone received $657.1 million in federal funding.
“A significant portion of federal taxpayer funding for domestic activities was provided through grants under the Title X program which provides grants for family planning,” stated Rep. Smith's press release. “This program provides a funding source that helps abortionists set up clinics that do family planning in one room and abortion in the next.”
At a news conference on Capital Hill this morning, Olson and Smith joined other members of Congress to discuss the GAO's findings.
“Planned Parenthood’s founder Margaret Sanger said, 'The most merciful thing that the large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it,'” said Smith.
“No one 'kills it' more efficaciously and in such huge numbers – over 300,000 dead babies each year – as Planned Parenthood Federation of America.”
Smith described how in one of her books, The Pivot of Civilization, Sanger “devotes an entire chapter to what she calls – 'The Cruelty of Charity' – and harshly condemns maternal healthcare as 'stupid cruelty' that only 'encourages the perpetuation of defectives, delinquents and dependents.'”
“Sanger’s anti-child, anti-human rights nightmare is today aggressively implemented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America with huge subsidies from U.S. Taxpayers – $657 million according to GAO between 2002-2008 alone,” he said.
“The most unsafe place for women and children today is Planned Parenthood’s 850 facilities. At Planned Parenthood clinics, in 2007 alone, 305,000 babies were either dismembered, chemically poisoned or starved to death by RU486.”
“Since Obama’s election, U.S. subsidies to the abortion industry at home and abroad, have significantly increased,” Smith continued.
“When Obama shredded the Mexico City Policy, he opened the floodgate of taxpayer funds to pro-abortion NGOs (i.e. International Planned Parenthood Federation) that perform and lobby for abortion worldwide. Making matters worse he increased funding available to those organizations by 50% - to $648,457 million.”
“It’s time for Americans and especially Congress to take a second look and defund it,” Smith concluded. “Defund Planned Parenthood – Child Abuse Inc.”
The GAO report has also elicited strong reactions from various pro-life leaders.
“Giving taxpayer money to organizations that promote and provide abortion, even if the money is not used for that purpose, frees up other funds for abortion purposes and gives the government's stamp of approval to their abortion related activities,” stated Ken Blackwell, Family Research Council Senior Fellow for Family Empowerment.
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“By funding Planned Parenthood and their allies, we are unwittingly supporting an abortion organization and everything they do,” he said. “When taxpayer money goes to abortion groups for any reason, it supports the work of the abortion industry. We should not let abortion companies benefit financially from taxpayer funds.”
Blackwell urged Congress to “bring an end to funding for abortion providers by enacting the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act.” He called the bill, which was introduced in early 2009 by Indiana Congressman Mike Pence, a “commonsense bill which would simply ensure that funds go to organizations that are not in the abortion business.”
“Time and time again voters have said they do not want their tax dollars supporting this industry, yet Members of Congress defy their constituents by voting to channel tax dollars to abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, a network committed to advancing pro-life women in the political process.
“Women, the unborn and the American people deserve better than this,” she said.