Congress Passes Coronavirus Stimulus Bill That Stops Pelosi’s Attempt to Fund Planned Parenthood

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Mar 27, 2020   |   2:58PM   |   Washington, DC

The House today passed a massive economic relief bill that will provide financial support for a nation reeling from the coronavirus crisis. For pro-life Americans, the good news is that the legislation will not force Americans to fund the Planned Parenthood abortion business, which kills over 330,000 babies in abortions every single year.

Earlier this week, the package passed the Senate 96-0 after Republicans were able to stop pro-abortion democrat leader Chuck Schumer from forcing Americans to fund the abortion giant.

Today the House approved the measure on a voice vote.

During the development of the first stimulus bill to tackle the coronavirus situation, White House officials caught Nancy Pelosi trying to force Americans to fund abortions because she put funding in the bill under a section of HHS where the provisions of the Hyde Amendment would not apply.

Earlier this week, as Republicans and Democrats hashed out the economic stimulus bill to respond to the health pandemic, Pelosi was again exposed trying to include funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion company in a bill that should be about economic relief for small businesses and even though Planned Parenthood is technically a nonprofit.

Over the in the Senate, pro-abortion Senator Chuck Schumer spent the week trying to force Americans to fund Planned Parenthood as well. As Bloomberg News reported, he was trying to get rid of a Republican provision ensuring the abortion giant does not receive funding:

A fight over abortion providers like Planned Parenthood is one of the remaining holdups in negotiations over the Senate’s stimulus bill, according to a person familiar with the talks.

Democrats want abortion providers to be eligible for aid under the small business portion of the bill, the person said.

Republicans had put in language barring nonprofits that receive Medicaid funding, which includes Planned Parenthood, from accessing that aid.

A Democratic aide said more than Planned Parenthood would be affected by the disputed language.

But as Politico reported, Republicans got Schumer and Democrats to back down: “The section on small-business loans is intact, and the GOP won fights barring Medicaid funds from going to Planned Parenthood and other non-profits.”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, the head of the Susan B. Anthony List, told Lifenews she ewas glad the Planned Parenthood and abortion funding concerns were neutralized.

“We are thankful to President Trump and our pro-life Congressional leaders for ensuring the CARES Act includes vital pro-life protections to ensure that these massive funding streams cannot be used as slush funds for the big abortion industry led by Planned Parenthood,” she said.

“At a time when Americans are working together to make sacrifices to keep healthy as a nation, the abortion industry led by Planned Parenthood refuses to stop its abortion enterprise, using up precious personal protective equipment on elective abortions and unashamedly promoting dangerous surgical and chemical abortions. They are preying upon the anxieties and fears of women and families. We thank elected officials across the country who refuse to give them a free pass and are holding them accountable. Their shameful actions demonstrate why they don’t deserve a dime in the CARES Act, given that they truly don’t care,” she added.

Congressional pro-lifers confirmed to LifeNews.com that the stimulus bill mitigates both the Planned Parenthood funding and abortion funding concerns and Planned Parenthood has publicly complained that it was left out of taxpayer funding.

The Hyde Amendment is included by reference in this bill several times, protecting hundreds of billions of dollars from funding abortion or abortion coverage:

  • Supplemental appropriations: The bill applies the pro-life protections (including the Hyde Amendment) in the most recently passed LHHS appropriations bill to the new supplemental discretionary health funding in Division B of H.R. 478. This includes the $100 billion appropriated to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to reimburse eligible health care providers for health care related expenses or lost revenues attributable to coronavirus.
  • SEC. 23003. Unless otherwise provided for by this Act, the additional amounts appropriated by this Act to appropriations accounts shall be available under the authorities and conditions applicable to such appropriations accounts for fiscal year 2020. (pg. 878)

The funding listed below is all Hyde-protected through reference to Public Law 116–94, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020.

  • Extension and Funding for Health Programs: This bill extends funding for Community Health Centers, National Health Service Corps, and Teaching Health Centers through November 30, 2020 and appropriates additional funding to each of these programs. Hyde reference: Sec. 3831(d) on pg. 413
  • $1.3 billion appropriated for supplemental awards for health centers. Hyde reference: Sec. 3211(b) on pg. 236
  • $150 billion appropriated for coronavirus relief fund. Hyde reference: Sec. 5001 on pg. 606.

Planned Parenthood is excluded from loan assistance to small businesses and non-profits.

  • The bill provides funding for federally-guaranteed loans and forgiveness to small businesses and non-profits. It applies the Small Business Administration’s affiliation rules to determine whether nonprofits qualify for this assistance. Planned Parenthood, which has 16,000 employees nationwide if all affiliates are taken together, far exceeds the 500 employee threshold for nonprofits. That language may be found here:

Sec. 1102(D)(vi) AFFILIATION.—The provisions applicable to affiliations under section 121.103 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor thereto, shall apply with respect to a nonprofit organization and a veterans organization in the same manner as with respect to a small business concern. (pg.17)

ACLJ Director of Government Affairs Thann Bennett confirmed the victory: “This is one of the provisions that we actually flagged for The Hill, among other people. In a nutshell the Left wanted Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers to be able to access the small business loans, the ones that were intended to meet payroll. That was the provision that got changed. I’m hearing from multiple sources on The Hill, that it has been corrected.”

Senator Ted Cruz, a pro-life Republican, blasted Democrats for trying to fund Planned Parenthood and express the sentiments of millions of pro-life Americans:

“This is why everyone hates Washington politics,” the senator tweeted. “Millions of Americans are suffering and the Democrats are holding desperately-needed relief hostage for funds to support abortion.”

Leading pro-life groups have condemned Democrats for pushing abortion and Planned Parenthood funding in what should be coronavirus relief. As Jay Sekulow of the ACLJ said: “There are new provisions – using fuzzy drafting language – that we fear could be used to provide billions of dollars to the abortion industry. We cannot allow this Coronavirus relief bill to become a Planned Parenthood slush fund.”

The bill now goes to President Trump’s desk for his signature.