WASHINGTON, D.C. — Republican leaders on Thursday blocked efforts by Rand Paul to defund abortion giant Planned Parenthood.
Last week the Kentucky senator said he would offer an amendment to the appropriations bill funding the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, which, if passed into law, would have resulted in a Planned Parenthood funding ban.
In a statement announcing his amendment, Paul said, “One of the top priorities for a Republican Congress that professes pro-life values on the campaign trail should be to stop taxpayer funding for abortion providers.” He added, “This is our chance to turn our words into action, stand up for the sanctity of life, and speak out for the most innocent among us that have no voice.”
But before Paul was able to proceed, leaders worried that Paul’s amendment is too controversial, announced that due to “limited time” his latest attempt to remove taxpayer-funded dollars to the organization would have to wait.
Paul is not alone in his efforts to defund the abortion provider. President Donald Trump, who ran on a pro-life campaign during his candidacy, has also proposed cutting funds to Planned Parenthood.
According to a recent McLaughlin & Associates survey, 48 percent of those polled say they support cutting funds to Planned Parenthood despite the organization’s argument that federal funds received go directly toward women’s’ healthcare services and not abortion.
A report published by Lifesitenews.com documents that Planned Parenthood received more than $543 million in fiscal year 2016-2017.
“It is forbidden from spending that money directly on most abortions, but pro-lifers warn that subsidies earmarked for non-abortion purposes ultimately enable abortion groups to commit more abortions by freeing up money from their other revenue services,” the report declares. “Duke University healthcare analyst Chris Conover estimates that taxpayers end up covering almost 25 percent of all abortion costs.”
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