In the midst of a national uproar over the undercover videos exposing Planned Parenthood harvesting fetal organs for profit, senators are banding together to call for an end to the taxpayer funding of the abortion corporation.
Senator Joni Ernst (IA), along with Senators Rand Paul (KY), James Lankford (OK) and 21 co-sponsors, introduced S.1881., a important piece of legislation that would defund Planned Parenthood.
Senator Lankford remarked:
The calloused harvesting of body parts shows a complete disregard for human dignity. We cannot care more about animal cruelty than the inhumane treatment of children in the womb. It is self evident that we should honor life and stand against the harvest of human organs.
If Planned Parenthood sold unique human organs to research labs, by definition they had to be unique human lives in the womb when they were aborted. It is time for federal taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood to end and let community health centers use that funding to provide health care services for those in greatest need.
Thankfully, senators are standing in agreement that the forced taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood must end. Co-sponsors of the bill include Senators John Barrasso (WY), Roy Blunt (MO), John Boozman (AR), Richard Burr (NC) Dan Coats (IN), Tom Cotton (AR) John Cornyn (TX), Ted Cruz (TX), Steve Daines (MT), Mike Enzi (WY), Deb Fischer (NE), James Inhofe (OK), Johnny Isakson (GA), Ron Johnson (WI), James Lankford (OK), John McCain (AZ) Mitch McConnell (KY), Jerry Moran (KS), Rand Paul (KY), David Perdue (GA), Pat Roberts (KS), Ben Sasse (NE), Tim Scott (SC), and John Thune (SD).
According to Ernst’s office, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that lawmakers will vote on this bill before leaving for an extended state work period in August.
S.1881. seeks to:
- Prohibit federal funding of Planned Parenthood Federation of America or any of its affiliate organizations.
- Protect federal funding for health services for women, including diagnostic laboratory and radiology services, well-child care, prenatal and postnatal care, immunizations, cervical and breast cancer screenings and more.
- Ensure there is no reduction in overall federal funding available to support women’s health.
The entire text of S.1881. can be read here.
S.1881. would not remove federal funding for important women’s health services. It would preserve funding for laboratory and radiology services, prenatal and postpartum care, well-child care, immunization, contraceptives, sexually transmitted disease testing, and cervical and breast cancer screening. The funds that were once available to Planned Parenthood would be offered to other eligible entities that provide these services.
Senator Ernst voiced the complaints of many women:
As a mother and grandmother, I find this footage of Planned Parenthood’s role in the harvesting of the organs of unborn babies morally reprehensible and vile. The American people are horrified by these videos as well. Simply put, this legislation ensures that funding for women’s health is protected and that taxpayer dollars will not go to Planned Parenthood.
Presidential hopeful Ted Cruz also remarked that taxpayer dollars should never be sent to Planned Parenthood:
Every member of the Senate and every member of the House should stand together and say: under no circumstances should federal taxpayer dollars, your money and my money, be sent to Planned Parenthood. I commend my colleagues for introducing this bill and am honored to stand with them in this important fight. I hope we remain vigilant in preventing any group from engaging in this kind of horrifying practice.
