In August, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad ordered a review of all state taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood after videos were released exposing their lucrative organ harvesting business. In a statement he said, “We are to look at the contracts and see what our rights and responsibilities are. I want to protect the interests of the taxpayers.”
However, on September 29th, he said the state didn’t have the legal authority to de-fund them and he wouldn’t be pursuing it further. Gov. Branstad explained, “The attorney general’s office has notified us that we don’t have reasons; they haven’t violated their responsibilities under the grants that they have received from the state.”
SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must De-Fund Planned Parenthood Immediately
Now Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is urging Gov. Branstad to reconsider and completely de-fund the abortion giant. In a letter he said, “The first video that surfaced showed a Planned Parenthood Federation of America director describing how some Planned Parenthood affiliates are contacting companies to sell organs and tissues harvested from aborted babies. Since then, nine more videos have been released which show in detail Planned Parenthood’s abhorrent practices and disregard for human life.”
Gov. Jindal went on to tell the Iowa governor about what he did in the state of Louisiana. He said, “At my direction, (the Department of Health and Hospitals) notified Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast of the termination of their Medicaid contract with the state of Louisiana, for cause. He added, “I encourage you to watch these videos and to take similar action in your state as well.”
As LifeNews previously reported, a public opinion poll that was conducted in Iowa shows that the majority of the state’s residents support de-funding Planned Parenthood and sending government funding to legitimate health care clinics instead. The survey was commissioned by the pro-life legal group Alliance Defending Freedom and found that sixty-nine percent of Iowans agree that taxpayers should not subsidize groups like Planned Parenthood.
Additionally, the poll found that sixty-four percent of Iowans believe Congress should de-fund the abortion company. In 2014, the group received more than $528 million dollars in taxpayer funding— all while killing 327,653 babies in abortion. Instead of receiving public funding, Iowans believe Planned Parenthood should use the $700 million they receive in annual revenue to operate their business.
ADF Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot explained, “Americans should not be forced to fund a billion-dollar corporation that was caught on camera negotiating the sale of baby body parts. Recently released undercover videos exposed the horrific truth about Planned Parenthood that every American should know. Our tax dollars should fund local public health clinics, not provide $500 million in corporate welfare for Planned Parenthood’s abortion and baby parts business.”
SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must Investigate Planned Parenthood for Selling Aborted Baby Parts
He added, “Government officials have a duty to investigate the illegal and unethical practices of Planned Parenthood. The evidence in these videos is clear. We urge the government to hear the American people and put an end to public subsidies that fund this organization and its barbaric practices.”
