(Above: Rep. Bradley Byrne speaks against taxpayer-funded abortion)
Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-AL02, took to the floor of the United States House of Representatives today to deride the fact that 45 percent of the funding for Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion provider, comes from taxpayer dollars.
Planned Parenthood describes itself as the nation’s premier advocate for abortion, stating in its 2012-2013 Annual Report, “We are the most effective advocate in the country for policies that protect access to safe and legal abortion… actively lobbying in every state legislature.” The report states for the period ending September 30, 2012, the organization performed an incredible 327,166 abortions and received over a half-billion dollars in government grants.
“Forty-five percent of Planned Parenthood’s total revenue, equaling $540 million last year, was provided directly by the American taxpayer through government grants,” said Byrne. “My constituents find the practice of abortion morally abhorrent and threatening to the social fabric of this country, and they should not be forced to subsidize abortions provided through this organization nationwide. We must respect the consciences of millions of Americans by ending the practice of government funding for abortions.”
According to Susan B. Anthony List, one of the nation’s leading pro-life advocacy group, “from 2000 to 2009, Planned Parenthood saw an 80 percent increase in taxpayer funding, receiving $202 million in 2000 and $363 million in 2009. In 2000, Planned Parenthood performed 197,070 abortions while making 2,486 adoption referrals. In 2009, they performed 332,278 abortions and made just 977 adoption referrals. That means an 80 percent increase in taxpayer funding resulted in a 69 percent increase in the number of abortions and a 61 percent decrease in the number of adoption referrals.”
This week, Representative Byrne signed on to a letter authored by Reps. Diane Black, R-TN06, and Martha Roby, R-AL02 calling for taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood to be cut off.
The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which prohibits the use of federal funding for abortion, passed the House 227-188 earlier this year, but is unlikely to be brought up by the Democrat-controlled Senate.
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