Contact: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741; Mark Harrington, 614-419-9000, mark@createdequal.org

WASHINGTON, July 7, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- On Thursday, July 13, at 11:00 A.M. dozens of anti-abortion activists will hold a press conference in front of the Russell Senate Office Building followed by a prayer vigil and sit-in at Sen. McConnell's office.

Activists will be asking the Senate to not subsidize abortion and redirect abortion giant Planned Parenthood's taxpayer funding to community health centers.

Some of the participants will peacefully risk arrest as they stand in solidarity with the 329,000 innocent children that are aborted every year at Planned Parenthood abortion clinics across the nation.

Who: Created Equal, Christian Defense Coalition, and other anti-abortion groups/activists.

What: Prayer/sit-in for the defunding of America's abortion giant, Planned Parenthood.

Where: Sen. Mitch McConnell's office located at Constitution Ave. and 1st NE entrance to the Russell Senate Building in Washington, D.C.

When: Thursday, July 13, at 11:00 A.M.

Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition and pastor of Church on the Hill in Washington, D.C., states;

"We call upon Senator McConnell and the republican majority in the Senate to defund Planned Parenthood which is the largest abortion provider in the world.  The $550,000,000 of taxpayer money that goes to Planned Parenthood should be redirected to federally licensed clinics that provide for more comprehensive services for women."

Mark Harrington, National Director of Created Equal said;

"Funding for Planned Parenthood has been a perennial issue since Republicans won control of the House in 2010, and each time, Republican leaders have finessed it by saying the matter would be settled in a broader health care bill. Now, is the time to hold these pro-life representatives accountable for their campaign promises. We will deliver a strong message to every single US Senator to defund Planned Parenthood and end all funding streams for abortion in the health care bill.

"Abortion is not healthcare and not one penny of taxpayer funding should go to an organization that takes the lives of 329,000 innocent children every year.  We encourage the Senate to follow the lead of their colleagues in the House and not include the funding of Planned Parenthood in their healthcare legislation."