On Thursday, February 10th, the Expose Planned Parenthood coalition joined with members of the Pro-Life Woman’s Caucus and other Congressional leaders to call on the defunding of Planned Parenthood.

Speakers included:

Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the Susan B. Anthony List
Lila Rose, President of Live Action, responsible for the undercover footage
Penny Nance, CEO of Concerned Women for America
Kristan Hawkins, Executive Director of Students for Life of America
Rep. Mike Pence, Sponsor of the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act
Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH)
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO)
Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC)
Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY)
Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL)
Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL)
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD)
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA)
Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)
Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS)

Below are copies of prepared statements. As more are received, the page will be updated.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, President, Susan B. Anthony List:

“Planned Parenthood’s exploitive culture and institutional track record can no longer be ignored.  In a victory for women and young girls, the House leadership has agreed to cut Title X funding from the Continuing Resolution.  This is a good start, but a permanent fix is required: Mike Pence’s bill, the “Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act.”  The unbroken trail of recent evidence is a natural extension of founder eugenicist Margaret Sanger’s worldview, who saw vulnerable citizens like African-Americans, the poor and immigrants as ‘human weeds’ and ‘reckless breeders.’  The early feminists, on the other hand, vehemently rejected the exploitation of women through abortion.  Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote, ‘When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit.’  Now, the horror of the logic behind Planned Parenthood’s founding has come to roost in this modern form: it is the primary partner of those who degrade and exploit women.  To further the injustice, this organization insists that it deserves the continued support of taxpayers.  The moment for taxpayers to reject their own involvement in Planned Parenthood has arrived.  SBA List has partnered with Live Action and 27 other pro-life members of the Expose Planned Parenthood coalition to organize grassroots contact with Members of Congress today, urging them to pass Rep. Pence’s ‘Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act.’  Enough is enough.  If Planned Parenthood stays in business at all, it must do so on its own dime.”

Lila Rose, President, Live Action:

“This endemic cover-up of abuse extends beyond the staff at the New Jersey clinic, the four Virginia clinics, and the New York clinic. For four years our investigative team has been documenting the widespread abuse cover up at Planned Parenthood. From 2007-2009 we released 10 cases of sexual abuse cover up in six states, and our footage has led to suspensions and firings, resignations, numerous state investigations, and probation. Young girls are going into Planned Parenthood clinics every day, too many the victims of abuse. Three-hundred to 400 thousands children are trafficked for sex every year, and too many are taken to Planned Parenthood clinics for secret abortions. The clinics that these abused girls will walk into will not only turn a blind eye to their abuse, but would do business with their pimps and keep their abuse secret.  Planned Parenthood has poured millions of dollars (many of them taxpayer dollars) into carefully crafting a positive public image. They like to brand themselves as the ‘trusted provider of women’s health care.’ But Planned Parenthood’s real agenda is emerging: in its daily operations, the organization is rigidly pro-abortion and pro-abuser, enabling the victimization of young girls by partnering with their abusers.”

Penny Nance, CEO, Concerned Women for America:

“The half million members of Concerned Women for America (CWA) demand that Congress immediately cease all funding of Planned Parenthood and we call on the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Planned Parenthood’s role in aiding and abetting the sex trafficking of minors. The video exposé by Live Action is an “Acorn” moment and clearly demonstrates an organization-wide culture of turning a blind eye to criminal activity. For this reason we call on the DOJ to investigate Planned Parenthood for violations of Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) laws.

The chilling realization one gets when viewing these videos is that if actors posing as sex traffickers can get help from Planned Parenthood with a wink and a nod, all with no question asked, then clearly Planned Parenthood is an unindicted co-conspirator in the dramatic rise of sex trafficking in the United States over the past several years. Untold damage has already been done to countless girls and young women and Planned Parenthood must be held accountable.

All the grants must be examined and criminal charges should be brought. Claims by Planned Parenthood of future training are a desperate attempt to cloud the issue. The damage to our young boys and girls by sexual predators is done. This organization cannot be trusted with taxpayer funds and Congress should cut them off immediately.”

Rep. Joe Pitts, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health:

Thank you.

What we have seen in the past couple weeks remind us of the horrors that are associated with the abortion industry.

While the videos released by Live Action show the despicable actions of Planned Parenthood, I want to take a moment to bring to your attention the actions of an abortion doctor from eastern Pennsylvania.

Kermit Gosnell, M.D., operated a women’s health clinic in West Philadelphia.

It was here that he spent four decades offering his “services” to the community.

Upon further investigation by a Court-ordered Grand Jury, these services involved the murder of women and babies alike.

According to the Grand Jury, he “regularly and illegally delivered live, viable, babies in the third trimester of pregnancy—and then murdered these newborns by severing their spinal cords with scissors.”

If that is not disgusting enough, during one of these acts of murder, Gosnell joked that the baby was so big he could “walk me to the bus stop.”

While it is clear that this man is a criminal, his clinic was still able to operate for years without being inspected our audited.

In this country, 95 percent of the abortions occur in clinics, not hospitals.

Not only should Congress be defunding clinics like these, but we should also be urging investigations into abortion clinics across the country, so a tragedy like the one in Philadelphia, does not happen again.

Let me just say that I am very grateful that we are working with pro-life leadership here in the House, and that there is collective effort already underway to strip all federal funding from organizations that promote or perform abortions.

Let’s hope that the Senate will agree with us on this one.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, North Carolina’s 5th District:

“You know what one of our colleagues over in the Senate said earlier this week about our plans to end taxpayer funding of the biggest abortion provider in America?  This Senator said that our “agenda on women’s health is extreme”.

“Here’s a newsflash.  Taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood is extreme.  Their agenda on the rights of unborn babies is extreme.

“That’s why we will not back down from stopping taxpayer funding for an organization that is directly responsible for the abortion of hundreds of thousands of unborn babies each year.   If you are going to kill the unborn you’re not getting taxpayer funding.  Period.”

Rep. Michele Bachmann, Minnesota’s 6th District, was unable to attend the press conference, but offered the following comments in a press release:

“As a co-sponsor of the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act introduced by Representative Mike Pence (IN-06), I know Congress must take up this critical issue right away. Tax dollars have been flowing to this heinous organization far too long.

“Recently we witnessed corruption in Planned Parenthood centers as undercover videos showed employees coaching underage sex rings. Clearly the greed of Planned Parenthood has driven the organization to new depths. Performing abortions – ending a heartbeat in the womb – is no longer enough.

“Written into the Declaration of Independence is the right to life, liberty and a pursuit of happiness. But by Planned Parenthood’s own records 324,008 abortions were performed in 2008 and 2009. These children had their rights robbed from them. America was founded as a moral nation but this is a far deviation from that standard. Our nation must return to its moral roots. I will continue to expose the corruption of Planned Parenthood until every penny of federal funding to them is dried up.”

Kristan Hawkins, Executive Director, Students for Life of America:

“I’m Kristan Hawkins, Executive Director of Students for Life of America, the nation’s leading organization for pro-life youth.

Today, I’m here to repeat what we have already heard: Planned Parenthood, our nation’s largest abortion provider, has no business receiving federal funds.

Time and time again, activists like Live Action and those students and leaders we work with have proven that Planned Parenthood cares only about one thing: Their bottom line. And because of the controversial nature of abortion, our nation’s leaders have refused to investigate this abortion giant and their shady business practices.

Just a couple of years ago, Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, a federal grantee of Title X money was charged with 107 criminal charges, 23 of which were felonies for performing illegal late term abortions and then falsifying medical records to cover up their crimes.

In 2008, we saw the horrible videos showing Planned Parenthood workers accepting racially motivated donations, covering up statutory rape, and promoting the barbaric practice of infanticide.

And now, thanks to Live Action, we have proof that Planned Parenthood is aiding pimps and sex traffickers using our tax payer money. Two of the Planned Parenthoods that the Live Action team visited in the Bronx and Perth Amboy were Title X grantees.

One thing is clear about all of these discoveries, Planned Parenthood preys on young girls and does not deserve our tax money to promote their crimes. We need to act today to finally defund Planned Parenthood.”

Rep. Vicky Hartzler, Missouri’s 4th District:

“It’s bad enough that American taxpayers are forced to pay for abortions provided by Planned Parenthood, but we are now seeing proof that the organization is involved in more than the taking of innocent life.”

“We are learning Planned Parenthood locations engage in despicable actions involving the sexual exploitation of minors.”

“Planned Parenthood’s annual report indicated the organization received more than $363 million in government grants and contracts between 2008 and 2009, performing more than 324,000 abortions during that time period. Citizens of Missouri’s 4th Congressional District are saying ‘enough is enough!’ We need to do everything possible to protect our children; not enable their exploitation through our tax dollars.”