As Americans mark Tax Day today, they currently send hundreds of millions of their tax dollars to Planned Parenthood — the nation’s biggest abortion company. Just how much are Americans forced to send? A new report will tell you.
Earlier this year, pro-life members of Congress demanded information from the Obama administration on all of various ways it funds the nation’s biggest abortion business.
On average, Planned Parenthood receives approximately $500 million a year in taxpayer funds, as a GAO report indicated last year. ow, tey want the agency to update the information so taxpayers know exactly where their money is going.
Reps. Diane Black (R-TN-06), Pete Olson (R-TX-22) and Senator David Vitter (R-LA) issued the following statements in response to the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) decision to accept their request to investigate the use of federal funding allocated to Planned Parenthood and related organizations:
“I thank the GAO for acting responsibly and committing to carry out our request for an independent review of the taxpayer funding provided to Planned Parenthood and related organizations,” said Congressman Diane Black. “As a nurse for more than 40 years, I know that abortion is not healthcare and I am incensed that, year after year, my constituents see their money sent to Washington and distributed to organizations that promote or perform abortions all under the guise of ‘healthcare’ services. This is a sham and it is an affront to the conscience rights of every American taxpayer. By shining a light on the federal funding allocated to these organizations we can mobilize the support needed to defund the big abortion industry and reroute those dollars to organizations that uphold life while protecting women’s health.”
“I applaud the GAO’s decision to fulfill our request to provide more taxpayer transparency on organizations that promote or perform abortions. While I remain committed to defunding Planned Parenthood and protecting the unborn, at a minimum, Americans deserve to know where their tax dollars are going. I look forward to seeing the results of this report and increasing awareness and support to end taxpayer support for these organizations,” said Congressman Pete Olson.
“For years Planned Parenthood and their pro-abortion allies have deceived the public on how they spend their taxpayer dollars,” said Senator David Vitter. “We absolutely need to shed light on how these types of organizations are spending federal funds, and I suspect the forthcoming GAO report will confirm our fears of Planned Parenthood’s inexcusable misuse of taxpayer dollars for abortion.”
The report found the Planned Parenthood abortion corporation and its affiliates received $344.5 million in federal funds and another $1.2 billion in funding from Medicaid (which includes a combination of federal and state funds) for a total of $1.5 billion over three years from federal programs. The abortion giant receives $1.2 billion from Medicaid, $201 million from the Title X family planning program $40.6 million from Title XX Social Services block grants and $25.9 million from the Title V Maternal and Child health Services block grant.
In order to stop the funding to the abortion company, lawmakers first need to have an understanding of every potential source of funding the abortion corporation currently receives from the federal government.
SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must De-Fund Planned Parenthood Immediately
The lawmakers also called for an evaluation of funding for two non-governmental organizations that provide abortions and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which do not perform abortions but are forced to compete with Planned Parenthood for limited taxpayer dollars.
“We are writing to request up-to-date information regarding federal funding of Planned Parenthood, International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International,” the senators wrote in a letter to head of the GAO Gene L. Dodaro. “The Government Accountability Office (GAO) prepared a report dated March 20, 2015 regarding federal funds provided for fiscal years 2010-2012 to certain organizations involved in health related activities.
“Relying on the promise of openness and transparency often mentioned by the current Administration, it is our hope that the requested information be updated and made available to Congress and the public,” the senators continued. “Proper oversight of publicly funded programs is crucial in determining the value of the goods and services provided to the taxpayer, and allow policymakers to more carefully and thoroughly review them.”
