Republican Senators Urge Suspension of Federal Abortion Funding
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kans.), joined by 12 other Republican senators, is calling upon Democratic leaders in Congress to halt federal funding of abortion while cases of "negligent medical practice" are investigated.
Brownback and Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) have sent a letter to Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and House Representative David Obey (D-Wis.), who both chair Senate and House appropriation committees, asking them "to suspend funding in all future Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bills for organizations that promote abortion."
The senators agree that federal funding should be suspended to abortion groups like Planned Parenthood pending further investigation of "troubling accusations of negligent medical practice."
In the letter sent last week, Brownback pointed to a recent lawsuit filed two weeks ago, in which the Kansas/Missouri chapter of Planned Parenthood was charged with performing illegal late-term abortions, falsifying documents and failing to comply with medical reporting requirements.
"We should not use tax dollars to subsidize abortion clinics – particularly when there are serious concerns regarding their compliance with state law and medical standards," said the Kansas senator in the letter.
Following the 107-count indictment against Planned Parenthood's Kansas affiliate, more than 60 pro-family leaders in October had signed a letter to senators and representatives asking them to suspend federal funding for the national organization.
The letter was signed by a number of leaders from pro-family groups including Concerned Women For America, Focus on the Family, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Liberty Counsel, American Family Association, Traditional Values Coalition, and Americans United for Life.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America reportedly receives $300 million from taxpayer funding each year.
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) introduced a bill in the House last Thursday that would such stop such funds.
