Effort to defund Planned Parenthood gains steam

Two Congressmen introduced legislation yesterday to defund Planned Parenthood as state governments and congressional committees launch investigations into the abortion giant’s fetal tissue sales.

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., introduced the Defund Planned Parenthood Act which would enact a moratorium on federal funding to Planned Parenthood for a year. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., also introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Planned Parenthood performs about 327,000 abortions annually and receives more than $500 million in federal funding each year.

The legislation follows the release of two videos from the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) which show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of fetal tissue, apparently for profit. Selling fetal tissue is a federal crime punishable with fines of up to $500,000 and 10 years in prison.

Since CMP released the first video more than a week ago, seven state governments and three congressional committees have launched investigations into Planned Parenthood’s practices. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has called for testimony from Deborah Nucatola, senior director of medical services at Planned Parenthood, who was featured in the first video.

Last week, Lankford decried discussions in both the Senate and the White House about protecting animal rights while they ignore baby body parts sold as research specimens.

“It seems the ultimate irony to me that we spend time talking about human treatment of animals being put down like in horse slaughter and we completely miss children being ripped apart in the womb and their body parts sold,” he said.

To date, Lankford is the only senator to speak on the Senate floor regarding the Planned Parenthood videos, according to his communications director, Darrell Jordan.

Lankford’s office received an outpouring of support following the speech, indicating “people are slowly starting to think about abortion in general in a different way,” Jordan said. Lankford’s office is looking for cosponsors for the bill.

Fifty senators led by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, also requested Wednesday the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services investigate Planned Parenthood.

In return, a group of House Democrats have also requested an investigation into CMP following allegations the group deceived the Internal Revenue Service and donors while posing as a biomedicine charity in 2013.

Though she didn’t commit to an official investigation, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Wednesday that her office would review the information regarding Planned Parenthood.

“I’m aware of those matters generally from the media, and from some inquiries that have been made to the Department of Justice, and again at this point we’re going to review all the information and determine what steps, if any, to take at the appropriate time,” Lynch said at a press conference.

Lynch’s vague promise to look into all the information led some to speculate she might actually turn her investigation on CMP, as Democrats requested.

Meanwhile, Black’s legislation to defund Planned Parenthood has already gained 124 cosponsors. Investigations into Planned Parenthood’s practices are a start, but not enough, Black wrote in a Townhall op-ed.

“If we end there, Congress is failing to do its job. We already know more than enough to defund Planned Parenthood by passing my legislation today,” she wrote. “The only question that remains is whether Washington has the political will needed to act. Time will tell, but the innocent, unborn lives who suffer at the hands of abortionists like Planned Parenthood’s Deborah Nucatola cannot wait much longer.”