Defunding Planned Parenthood in Continuing Resolution a 'Non-Negotiable,' House Urged to Hold Ground

Contact: Kerry Brown, Susan B. Anthony List, 703-470-1926, kbrown@sba-list.org

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today, the Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) praised the successful addition of Rep. Mike Pence's (R-IN) amendment to the Continuing Resolution (CR), calling its inclusion in the final CR a non-negotiable. The amendment passed the House by a vote of 240 to 185 and strikes all federal funding of Planned Parenthood within the CR. The CR would fund the federal government through the end of September.

"Ending taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood is a non-negotiable," said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. "It must be a top priority in the Continuing Resolution battle. Taxpayers have strongly rejected their complicity with Planned Parenthood in the sex trafficking of underage girls. Pro-life America demands that our leaders in the Senate step up and take on this fight and that the House leadership holds its ground. Americans have spoken and the time to defund Planned Parenthood, a habitual and unapologetic ally of those who deal in the exploitation of minors, is now. This is a black and white issue and we will accept nothing less than the total defunding of Planned Parenthood in the Continuing Resolution."

The Continuing Resolution also contains a number of pro-life improvements including reinstating the ban on all taxpayer funding for elective abortion in the District of Columbia, reinstating the Mexico City Policy and eliminating funding for the United Nations Population Fund. Later this afternoon, Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) is also expected to offer an amendment that would prevent any funds made available under the CR from being used to rescind or otherwise alter conscience protection regulations currently in effect.

The SBA List's efforts to end taxpayer funding of abortion have included:

• Mobilizing its 280,000-activist grassroots network to lobby Congress to deny Title X family planning funds to abortion providers through its Stop Abortion Funding campaign.
   
• Gathering more than 40,000 signatures in its online petition at www.StopAbortionFunding.com.
   
• Partnering with Live Action and 25 other pro-life groups to form the Expose Planned Parenthood coalition following the release of undercover footage taken in a New Jersey Planned Parenthood clinic. The first of several undercover videos, the footage showed clinic workers willing to aid and abet the alleged sex trafficking of underage girls as young as 14 years old.
   
• Organizing a live webcast that drew more than 100,000 participants.
   
• Sending a letter signed by coalition leaders to every House office demanding the defunding of Planned Parenthood.
   
• Hosting a press conference with Live Action and Rep. Mike Pence, members of the Pro-Life Woman's Caucus and pro-life congressmen.
   
• Organizing a surge of calls, letters and emails from grassroots Americans to Congress.
   
• Orchestrating a "Vigil for Victims" day with 40 Days for Life outside of more than 200 Planned Parenthood clinics across the country where pro-life activists prayed for the victims of sex trafficking.

Planned Parenthood's most recent annual report disclosed receiving more than $363 million in government grants and contracts between 2008 and 2009. Over the same period, Planned Parenthood reported performing 324,008 abortions, the most it has ever performed.

The Susan B. Anthony List spent $11 million during the 2010 midterm election cycle. Overall, the SBA List was involved in 90 races including 62 wins and 28 losses. Successes included: defeating 15 of 20 so-called "pro-life" Democrats who voted for abortion funding in the health care reform bill; increasing the number of pro-life women in the House by 70 percent; filling the void of pro-life women in the U.S. Senate and increasing the number of pro-life women governors from one to four.

For further information, please contact Kerry Brown at (703) 470-1926 or kbrown@sba-list.org.