A fact sheet listing the group’s accomplishments reveals that the nearly 850 Planned Parenthood outposts around the nation boasted a horrific 324,008 abortions over the most recent reporting period, up from 305,310 in fiscal year 2007 and 289,750 in 2006.
While abortions are a booming business for Planned Parenthood, its affiliates underperformed in the adoption department, making a pathetic 2,405 adoption referrals to other agencies during the reporting period.
Since under Title 10 of the Public Health Service Act of 1970 Planned Parenthood is prohibited from using federal tax dollars directly for abortion procedures (except in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of a pregnant woman), the group’s federal funding is technically funneled into a broad range of “reproductive health care” services, such as pregnancy testing, dispensing contraceptives, treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases, and cancer screening.
“In 2008 … Planned Parenthood provided more than five million people worldwide with the means to make responsible choices about their sexual and reproductive health,” notes the fact sheet — and 324,008 times those choices were to kill another human being.
In addition to the huge number of abortions, the 10,943,609 total services provided by Planned Parenthood nationwide in 2008 included 3,813,875 instances of various contraceptive services, including dispensing 1,436,808 “emergency contraception kits” like those containing RU-486, which pro-life activists point out is little more than a “morning after” abortion pill.
The group reported that its affiliates also provided 1,111,355 pregnancy tests, which no doubt factored into a good share of the abortion business reported by Planned Parenthood.
Pro-life groups have indicated that de-funding Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers will be one of their major objectives as the 112 Congress convenes in January 2012. “One of the main things we’re going to be looking for is [for Congress to] make permanent the Hyde amendment which prevents funding of abortion,” said Ashley Horne, a federal policy analyst with Focus on the Family (FOTF), referring to a measure Representative Henry Hyde (R-Il.) tried unsuccessfully to attach to last year’s monstrous health-care bill.
While last November’s elections gave the Republican Party control of the House of Representatives with 242 seats, pro-life activists emphasize that the change must equate into solid legislation that protects the unborn. One group which had an impact on the congressional elections was the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, which will now continue its efforts in the upcoming legislative session. “We made major pro-life gains last month,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, the group’s president, “but they mean absolutely nothing if we do not turn them into serious legislative gains for the unborn.”
Among those championing pro-life legislation will be Representative Chris Smith (R-N.J.), who is expected to co-sponsor the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which would include a total federal prohibition of abortion funding. In addition Representative Mike Pence (R-Ind.) will introduce the Title 10 Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, which would cut off Title 10 funding to such abortion groups as Planned Parenthood.
FOTF’s Ashley Horne emphasized that it is important for individuals who voted for pro-life candidates to hold them accountable to their campaign promises. “After a big win … conservatives in general kind of feel like, ‘okay, we have the [votes] that we need,’” she said. “We are just encouraging people to really pay attention to what Congress is doing and to make sure that they are calling, e-mailing, and contacting their lawmakers.”
Photo: AP Images
