In light of the distinct possibility her organization may soon be defunded under a new administration, Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards requested that federal funding for the abortion behemoth not remain status quo — but triple, The Blaze reported.
“I actually think if you’re concerned about preventing unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion in this country, you should triple the funding for Planned Parenthood,” Richards told The Daily Show on Thursday. “That’s the work we do.”
Richards’ desire to see Planned Parenthood persevere is echoed by some in the halls of Congress.
“This is a priority for the Republicans,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi recently told CNN. “So I just would like to speak individually to women across America: this is about respect for you, for your judgment about your personal decisions in terms of your reproductive needs, the size and timing of your family or the rest, not to be determined by the insurance company or by the Republican ideological right-wing caucus in the House of Representatives. So this is a very important occasion where we’re pointing out very specifically what repeal of the (Affordable Care Act) will mean to woman.”
Planned Parenthood claims that 75 percent of its funding, exceeding $390 million from Medicaid and $60 million from Title X funding (both sources from taxpayer dollars), is used for healthcare, including low income demographics, according to NPR. Though the Hyde Amendment prevents direct use of federal funding for abortions, that does not change the fact that abortion remains a fundamental procedure provided by this group.
Planned Parenthood’s abortion numbers have increased almost every year since Roe vs. Wade in 1973, CNS News reports. There were 70,000 abortions performed by Planned Parenthood in 1978. Ten years later, the abortion group’s numbers surpassed 100,000 abortions annually. In 2001, annual abortions performed by Planned Parenthood exceeded 200,000. There were 323,999 abortions reported in the abortion group’s 2014-2015 report.
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This results in a sum of 6,803,782 babies killed by Planned Parenthood alone since 1978, not including unaffiliated clinics and unreported data.
“I think it’s important to understand, it’s not only that they want to end access to Planned Parenthood, they want to end access to care for a lot of folks in this country,” Richards continued in her interview, according to Breitbart. “And I believe it’s going to cause a healthcare crisis.”
Other health services provided by Planned Parenthood are not unique to its business model, and can be obtained through almost any family doctor or other health clinic throughout America. A 2015 report found that community health centers, which offer more comprehensive health care without doing abortions, outnumber Planned Parenthood facilities by 20 to one. Congress’s plan to defund Planned Parenthood would re-direct tax dollars to these community health centers, ensuring women have access to the health care they need.
According to CNN, Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony List, said in a statement: “Vulnerable pro-abortion Democratic Senators need to do a serious gut check, especially following the 2016 election outcome, and decide if they will stand with their constituents and women’s health care or continue to funnel money to big abortion.”
