Virginia Senate Bans Tax-Funding of Planned Parenthood With Bolling’s Help 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 27, 2008
Richmond, VA (LifeNews.com) — With a little help form the state’s lieutenant governor, members of the Virginia Senate approved an amendment to the budget bill that would stop taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood. The vote ended in a 20-20 tie and Lt. Governor Bill Bolling cast a vote in favor of the amendment.
Sen. Ken Cuccinelli was behind the amendment that bars Planned Parenthood from receiving state funding in the new budget.
The proposal drew strong opposition from pro-abortion lawmakers.
That included Senator Janet Howell, who claimed the amendment would lead to women dying from illegal abortions, and Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw, who warned it would lead to other controversial budget cuts.
Chris Freund, the vice president of the Virginia Family Foundation, told LifeNews.com he’s elated by the vote.
"Virginians are outraged when they learn that an organization that had a profit of over $55 million in its most recent annual report has its hand out for even more of their tax dollars," he said.
"This radical pro-abortion organization’s latest annual report showed a national income of nearly $1 billion. Over one third of that money comes from taxpayers," he added.
Sen. Charles J. C, a Democrat, ultimately sided with the Republican minority to support the amendment despite heavy pressure from pro-abortion Democrats.
The final state budget will be decided over the next week and a conference committee will be appointed to work out the differences in the House and Senate versions.
The Virginia Senate ultimately approved the budget, with the amendment intact, on a 22-18 vote.
Related web sites:
Virginia Family Foundation – https://familyfoundation.org
