A group of Republican senators, led by Iowa’s Joni Ernst, introduced legislation Tuesday to strip Planned Parenthood Federation of America of the more than $500 million of taxpayer money that it receives every year.
The bill comes after the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress released undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood officials talking with disturbing frankness about selling the organs of unborn children to research facilities.
The group’s affiliates across the country performed 327,653 abortion procedures in 2013, according to its most recent annual report. That report shows that Planned Parenthood took more $528 million in federal money, 41 percent of its revenue.
“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,” Ernst said in a statement. “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.”
The group’s affiliates and national office reported $77.9 million in “other operating revenue.” No word on how much of that revenue came from the sale of aborted babies’ body parts.
Nineteen senators are cosponsoring the legislation. They are:
- John Barrasso of Wyoming
Roy Blunt of Missouri
John Boozman of Arizona
Richard Burr of North Carolina
Dan Coats of Indiana
Tom Cotton of Arkansas
John Cornyn of Texas
Ted Cruz of Texas
Steve Daines of Montana
Mike Enzi of Wyoming
Deb Fischer of Nebraska
James Inhofe of Oklahoma
Johnny Isakson of Georgia
Ron Johnson of Wisconsin
James Lankford of Oklahoma
John McCain of Arizona
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Jerry Moran of Kansas
Rand Paul of Kentucky
David Perdue of Georgia
Pat Roberts of Kansas
Ben Sasse of Nebraska
Tim Scott of South Carolina
John Thune of South Dakota
“The horrendous videos of senior executives from Planned Parenthood discussing in callous tones and shocking detail their role in a national scandal requires a congressional response,” McConnell said. “Our constituents demand it; the unborn deserve it.”
No Democrats have joined in cosponsoring the bill so far.
“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,” said Cruz. “I commend my colleagues for introducing this bill and am honored to stand with them in this important fight.”
Update, July 30, 11:24 a.m.: 13 more Republican senators added their names as cosponsors on Wednesday, July 29. They are:
- Richard Burr of North Carolina
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Tom Cotton of Arizona
Mike Crapo of Idaho
Mike Lee of Utah
John McCain of Arizona
David Perdue of Georgia
Rob Portman of Ohio
Mike Rounds of South Dakota
Marco Rubio of Florida
Thom Tillis of North Carolina
David Vitter of Louisiana
Roger Wicker of Mississippi
Update, July 31, 11:24 a.m.: 12 more Republican senators added their names as cosponsors on Thursday, July 30. They are:
- James Risch of Idaho
Cory Gardner of Colorado
Dan Sullivan of Alaska
Thad Cochran of Mississippi
Jeff Sessions of Alabama
John Hoeven of North Dakota
Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania
Orrin Hatch of Utah
Richard Shelby of Alabama
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
Bob Corker of Tennessee
Jerry Moran of Kansas
Update, Aug. 4, 11:17 a.m.: Jeff Flake of Arizona added his named as a cosponsor before the bill failed to advance in the Senate on Aug. 3.
Read the bill: