Washington D.C., Jul 17, 2011 / 15:55 pm
A new in-depth report on Planned Parenthood by a pro-life group shows that American taxpayers give substantial amounts of money to the abortion provider each year.
“By Planned Parenthood’s own accounting, $363 million – one-third of its budget annually – comes from the American taxpayer,” said president of Americans United for Life Dr. Charmaine Yoest.
“While Congress is discussing going deeper in debt and raising the debt ceiling … our government is quietly subsidizing the world’s largest abortion provider with $1 million a day.”
Americans United for Life says its report, “The Case for Investigating Planned Parenthood,” is the result of their legal team researching more than 20 years of Planned Parenthood records, law enforcement reports, and other materials.
At a July 14 press conference in Washington, D.C. – hosted by Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) and Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.) – Yoest outlined some the study findings.
In addition to taxpayers providing over $360 million annually to Planned Parenthood, the report documented that government funding of organization has doubled since 1998 – as well as the number of abortions performed.
The report claimed that the organization has committed numerous financial malpractices and human rights abuses over the last two decades. It cited failure to report criminal child sexual abuse, failure to comply with parental involvement laws and willingness to refer to substandard clinics as some of the offenses.
The report also states that Planned Parenthood has been documented as assisting people engaged in prostitution and/or sex trafficking, and has “dangerously” misused the abortion drug RU-486.
Analysis showed that Planned Parenthood has provided inaccurate and misleading information to women regarding fetal development and about abortion’s health risks. The report also stated that “considerable misinformation” has been given to patients on emergency contraception, including the pill “ella”.
Documentation also touched on Medicaid fraud allegedly committed by Planned Parenthood and its local affiliates. The report outlined four cases – in California, New York, New Jersey and Washington state – where Planned Parenthood affiliates have been exposed for fraudulent overbilling practices.
“American taxpayers are being forced to directly support this abortion-saturated organization which is fraught with fraud and misuse of government monies,” Yoest said on Thursday.
“We are very grateful to the Members of Congress who have stepped forward today to take a stand on behalf of the American taxpayer in calling for an investigation and hearings into Planned Parenthood and its systemic abuse of federal funding.”
To read the full report, visit: http://www.aul.org/aul-special-report-the-case-for-investigating-planned-parenthood