By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Outrage is growing over a new report released by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) that reveals more than $1 billion dollars of taxpayer money going to organizations that promote or provide abortions since 2002.
The Catholic News Agency (CNA) is reporting that the 33-page report was requested by Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) with the support of Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chair of the House Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, along with other members of Congress.
According to the report, six organizations have received the funds, including Planned Parenthood Federation of America, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Population Council of the United States, Guttmacher Institute, Advocates for Youth and the massive sex education provider known as SIECUS (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States).
“A significant portion of federal taxpayer funding for domestic activities was provided through grants under the Title X program which provides grants for family planning,” said Rep. Smith in a press release. “This program provides a funding source that helps abortionists set up clinics that do family planning in one room and abortion in the next.”
“Planned Parenthood’s founder Margaret Sanger said, ‘The most merciful thing that the large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it,’” said Smith at a news conference this morning. “No one ‘kills it’ more efficaciously and in such huge numbers – over 300,000 dead babies each year – as Planned Parenthood Federation of America.”
“Sanger’s anti-child, anti-human rights nightmare is today aggressively implemented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America with huge subsidies from U.S. Taxpayers – $657 million according to GAO between 2002-2008 alone,” he said.
“The most unsafe place for women and children today is Planned Parenthood’s 850 facilities. At Planned Parenthood clinics, in 2007 alone, 305,000 babies were either dismembered, chemically poisoned or starved to death by RU486.”
“It’s time for Americans and especially Congress to take a second look and defund it,” Smith concluded. “Defund Planned Parenthood – Child Abuse Inc.”
Other pro-life leaders are issuing equally vehement calls for the nation to rethink its policies and stop using taxpayer funds to support organizations that provide abortions, even if those funds are not directly used for abortions.
“Giving taxpayer money to organizations that promote and provide abortion, even if the money is not used for that purpose, frees up other funds for abortion purposes and gives the government’s stamp of approval on their abortion related activities,” Ken Blackwell, Family Research Council Senior Fellow for Family Empowerment told CNA.
Blackwell called upon Congress to pass the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act introduced in 2009 by Indiana Congressman Mike Pence. This bill ensures that funds only go to organizations that do not provide abortions.
“Time and time again voters have said they do not want their tax dollars supporting this industry,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List. “Yet Members of Congress defy their constituents by voting to channel tax dollars to abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood. . . . Women, the unborn and the American people deserve better than this.”
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