Planned Parenthood Loses $130K in Tax Funding in Wisconsin

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Dec 15, 2011   |   8:41PM   |   Washington, DC

The Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin abortion business has been cut from a $130,000 program in Wisconsin that contracts with health care providers to provide women with free breast and cervical cancer screenings.

The Wisconsin Department of Health and Services cut out Planned Parenthood from the program, which previously sent the abortion business the fund exchange for providing the services for women. Although the screenings can be obtained at other providers officials with the abortion business complained about the decision to WBAY.

“I’m very worried about the women that we serve, and the actions taken to remove Planned Parenthood from the Well Woman program are really cold-hearted and a huge disservice to the women in our communities,” Well Woman program coordinator Kristen Biese said.

But Governor Scott Walker, who is pro-life, says women can get the same screening help from legitimate medical providers that do not also kill and injure women and children in abortions. He said the program is not being eliminated, just modified so abortion centers don’t receive taxpayer funding.

“The program is still in place. The Well Woman, in particular to make sure women have access to exams for cancer and other things, is funding. It’s in place. We’re just not contracting with Planned Parenthood to do that,” Governor Walker said.

According to WBAY, he added, “There’s other providers throughout the state who have that. Planned Parenthood is not the sole provider of that. There are many clinics that are not as controversial as Planned Parenthood, and our goal was to make sure low-income women had access to those sorts of screenings from other providers around the state that don’t carry the controversy you get with Planned Parenthood.”

In June, Wisconsin became one of a handful of states in 2011 to cut taxpayer funding from the abortion business.

A bill Walker signed redirects $1 million in state and federal family planning funds away from Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. In 2010 Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin received more than $18 million in federal and state family planning funds that it claims has reduced abortions. However, the abortion business did 5,439 abortions in 2009, a 56% increase from 2008.

Wisconsin Right to Life praised Walker, with legislative director Susan Armacost saying, “Governor Walker and the state legislature acted courageously to protect Wisconsin taxpayers from having their tax dollars used to destroy human life. While there is more work to be done to protect taxpayers from paying for abortions, this state budget has greatly improved the situation.  On behalf of Wisconsin Right to Life members and supporters throughout the state, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Governor Walker and the legislature.”

ACTION: Thank Governor Walker here.