Senate Blocks Measures That Would Defund Planned Parenthood

American Family Association issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate blocked efforts to defund Planned Parenthood.

Last night’s 53-46 vote derailed S. 1881—a bill to prohibit federal funding of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. In the wake of four disturbing exposé videos, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the bill that had at least 32 co-sponsors. Key language of the bill read, “… no Federal funds may be made available to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, or to any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors or clinics.”

“American Family Association is dismayed that the majority of our U.S. Senate did not choose to take a stand for the unborn, especially in the wake of several alarming Planned Parenthood videos that reminded all of us that we must protect life,” said AFA President Tim Wildmon. “Last night, our lawmakers disappointingly chose to continue to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars to the nation’s largest abortion provider, whose barbaric actions of harvesting and bartering over the organs and tissue of unborn babies were recently exposed. This was a chance to instead allocate much-needed funds to other worthy women’s health programs that do not abort unborn babies. Not one taxpayer dollar should ever be used to fund abortion, and our Senate has thrown away this chance to stand for life.”