More than 70 pro-life leaders signed a memo by the Conservative Action Project to oppose any government spending bill that provides taxpayer funding to abortion provider Planned Parenthood.
“The American culture respects human life,” states the memo, whose signatories include conservative leaders such as Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly and Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. (A copy of the letter is available at the end of this article.)
“Planned Parenthood has now shown a systematic disregard for the most innocent of humans: unborn babies.”
The House of Representatives passed a measure Friday to freeze federal funding to Planned Parenthood for one year, but it’s uncertain if GOP leaders will send President Barack Obama a government spending bill by Sept. 30 that eliminates Planned Parenthood funding. Obama has vowed to veto such a measure, which could trigger a government shutdown.
Referring to the undercover videos released by the Center for Medical Progress, which depict Planned Parenthood officials’ discussing the sale of fetal organs, the Conservative Action Project memo goes on to say:
“These videos display individuals and an organization that has no problem harvesting and selling the organs of unborn babies for money. Upon the release of the videos, Americans, disgusted and saddened, immediately recognized that behavior as unethical and repugnant.”
“While the videos chronicle anecdotal evidence of Planned Parenthood’s abhorrent behavior, the facts about Planned Parenthood reveal an even more disturbing story.”
The memo, released Thursday, states that 327,653 lives were lost because of Planned Parenthood in the past year and reports show that $528.4 million of Planned Parenthood’s revenue in 2014 came from federal, state, and local governments. Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest abortion provider.
“This is an intolerable reality that Congress is empowered to correct. Funding Planned Parenthood is a conscience violation for every taxpayer.”
Those who have signed the memo include former South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, current Heritage Foundation president, and Heritage Action for America CEO Michael Needham.
The Conservative Action Project, chaired by Heritage Foundation vice president Becky Norton Dunlop, was founded by former Attorney General Edwin Meese III to facilitate conservative leaders to work together for a common goal.
This article has been modified to clarify that pro-life leaders, not just conservatives, signed the letter.