WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), released the following statement after voting in support of amendment #3967 to the minibus appropriations package for Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (H.R. 6157), which would have stopped taxpayer dollars from funding Planned Parenthood and other entities that perform abortions. The amendment failed by a vote of 45-48.
“Louisiana families should not be forced to give their hard-earned tax dollars to abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This measure would protect babies and taxpayers while ensuring full funding for the thousands of centers around the country that provide true health care to women.”
There are over 10,000 community health center facilities across the country, providing health services to more than 27 million patients – compared with 2.4 million who use Planned Parenthood services.
None of Planned Parenthood’s facilities offer mammograms. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Planned Parenthood affiliates receive nearly $60 million every year in family planning grants and nearly $400 million every year in Medicaid reimbursements courtesy of American taxpayers. According to Planned Parenthood’s own report for 2016-2017, it performed 321,384 abortions, or an average of 881 per day and one every 98 seconds—making it a taxpayer-funded abortion corporation. Last year, Planned Parenthood spent $75.6 million on “movement building” alone, spending $128.3 million on a combination of political activities. In addition, it spent $85 million fundraising.
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