Bills
| 3.23.22

Cutting Federal Funds From Planned Parenthood (S. 1861)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is S. 1861?

(Updated August 26, 2021)

This bill would prohibit federal funds from being made available to Planned Parenthood or any of its affiliates — specifically, but not limited to grant funding. 

According to its 2013-14 Annual Report, Planned Parenthood provided 327,653 abortions, while receiving nearly $530 million or 46 percent of its funding from federal, state, and local level governments. A recent audit cited in The Hill stated that over $500 million of that funding comes from the federal government — though it stipulates that the funding cannot be used for abortion services.

This bill was introduced following allegations and secretly recorded videos claiming that Planned Parenthood sold the organs and body tissue of aborted fetuses. 

Argument in favor

As long as it offers abortion services, Planned Parenthood should not be receiving any federal funding. If the organization wants to operate without controversy and if it's so widely supported, it should be able to find private funding.

Argument opposed

This bill is an overreaction to a smear campaign against Planned Parenthood. The organization provides valuable services to many low income families and individuals outside abortions — and it does not operate illegally.

Impact

People who benefit from services at Planned Parenthood that are made possible through federal funding, people who object to Planned Parenthood’s federal funding, federal grant administrators, and Planned Parenthood.

Cost of S. 1861

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) initially introduced this legislation as an amendment to a highway bill in the Senate, before drafting it as a standalone bill. When it was brought to the Senate floor as its own bill, Sen. Paul used Rule 14 — which allows a bill to be placed immediately into the calendar assuming enough other Senators sign on to it as a petition.

In a press release, Sen. Paul noted:

“The continued disregard and disrespect for human life at Planned Parenthood, a partially taxpayer-funded organization, is shocking and appalling. Recent video revelations, involving potentially criminal activity, make it more obvious than ever that this organization has absolutely zero respect for the sanctity of human life and is an affront to the most basic human dignity enshrined in our founding documents. Not one more taxpayer dollar should go to Planned Parenthood and I intend to make that goal a reality.”

Of Note: While Planned Parenthood often finds itself in the news because of the abortion services they offer — abortions are just a fraction of what they do. From cancer screenings, to HIV tests, STI testing, to sex education, and family counseling, Planned Parenthood has a wide range of services.

In mid-July, 2015, undercover videos shot by the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) were released, claiming to show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of the organs and tissue of aborted fetuses. CMP claims that the: 

"criminal conspiracy to make money off of aborted baby parts reaches to the very highest levels of their organization. Elected officials must listen to the public outcry for Planned Parenthood to be held accountable to the law and for our tax dollars to stop underwriting this barbaric abortion business.”

Planned Parenthood has countered that tissue donations for scientific research happen, but that reimbursements are only for their expenses. From CNN: 

"The group also says it helps people donate tissue "with full, appropriate consent from patients and under the highest  ethical and legal standards," according to a statement from spokesman Eric Ferrero. Later, Ferrero issued another statement saying, "These outrageous claims are flat-out untrue, but that doesn't matter to politicians with a longstanding political agenda to ban abortion and defund Planned Parenthood. Women and families who make the decision to donate fetal tissue for lifesaving scientific research should be honored, not attacked and demeaned."

Media:

Summary by Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Google Maps screenshot)