Washington, DC – Led by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), thirteen United States Senators have called for end to Federal funding for organizations that promote abortions.
The group of Senators sent a letter on Tuesday to Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations, and Representative David Obey, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, urging the passage of an amendment that would suspend Federal funding for abortions in light of the recent 107 criminal charges against Planned Parenthood in Kansas and other incidents of concern around the nation.
The 13 Senators joined their voices with a coalition of 60 pro-life/pro-family groups, including Operation Rescue, in asking Congress to stop funding organizations that promote abortions. Senators signing the Brownback letter were David Vitter (R-LA), Jim Bunning (R-KY), John Barrasso (R-WY), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), James Inhofe (R-OK), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Trent Lott (R-MS), Mel Martinez (R-FL), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and John Thune (R-SD).
“We applaud the Senators for promoting an amendment to suspend abortion funding. The current effort to defund abortion is building momentum. This may be among the most serious campaigns to pull millions of tax dollars away from the abortion industry,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.
“Planned Parenthood alone receives over $300 million dollars annually from Federal programs. That money is the only thing keeping Planned Parenthood afloat. With the recent criminal allegations and investigations against them, there are more reasons than ever to pull their funding,” said Newman.
Planned Parenthood in Kansas also faces a grand jury investigation called through the citizen’s petition process that Operation Rescue expects may result in additional criminal indictments.
Read Brownback’s press statement including text of letter