It’s been a disappointing week for pro-life advocates who are working hard to end taxpayer funding of the largest abortion business in the United States.
Planned Parenthood celebrated this weekend after the U.S. Senate narrowly rejected a measure to defund it of millions of taxpayer dollars.
“The Trumpcare nightmare may finally be over,” Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards said in a message to supporters. “In the middle of the night, the Senate’s last ditch effort to repeal health care from millions and take care away from Planned Parenthood patients failed.”
Late last week, U.S. Sen. John McCain joined two pro-abortion Republicans to defeat a bill that would defund Planned Parenthood. Called the skinny bill to repeal portions of Obamacare, pro-life organizations and Senate Republican leaders hoped the bill would get enough votes to be able to land a repeal and defund measure on President Donald Trump’s desk.
Even though McCain frequently votes pro-life and has voted to defund the Planned Parenthood abortion business in the past, he joined pro-abortion Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine along with 48 Democrats to kill the measure.
Richards called the vote a “victory” for her abortion business.
“…more than one million people with Medicaid coverage who rely on Planned Parenthood will still be able to come to our health centers for care,” Richards said. “8,118 patients will walk through Planned Parenthood health center doors again today because you and millions of others stood firm in this fight.”
But Richards did not mention how many more Planned Parenthood patients never walk out of their doors because they were aborted. The abortion chain kills more unborn babies than any other group in the U.S.
Planned Parenthood performed 328,348 abortions in 2015, nearly 5,000 more than the previous year, according to its annual report.
The report shows increases in abortions and taxpayer funding, alongside decreases in contraception, breast exams and overall patient numbers. This pattern of ups and downs is consistent with reports from the past several years.
Planned Parenthood continued to maintain its status as the largest abortion provider in the United States. At the same time, it saw 2.4 million patients, about 100,000 fewer than the previous year and about 500,000 fewer than five years ago. Contraception services, which the abortion chain touts as its primary service, also dropped from 2.94 million to 2.8 million in the past two years.
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Meanwhile, the abortion chain received more taxpayer funding. The report shows Planned Parenthood receiving $554.6 million, up from $553.7 million the previous year. This increase occurred while pro-abortion President Barack Obama was in power.
As a result of the U.S. Senate vote, that funding continues.
A recent congressional investigation into the abortion business involving its sales of aborted baby parts concluded with lawmakers recommended that Congress defund it. Planned Parenthood also has been caught in numerous scandals involving Medicaid fraud and failures to report suspected sex trafficking and sexual abuse of minors.
Earlier this year, Planned Parenthood leaders refused an offer to receive an increase in taxpayer funding if they stopped doing abortions. CEO Cecile Richards called the offer “obscene and insulting,” making it very clear that abortions – not women’s health care – are what really are important to Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood claims it is an essential provider of women’s health care, but its own annual reports show it continues to center its practices around aborting unborn babies.
President Donald Trump promised to sign a bill that would defund the Planned Parenthood abortion business.
Recent polls also indicate Americans support the defunding efforts. Polling found 56 percent of Americans in battleground states want Planned Parenthood defunded.
