Planned Parenthood Scrutinized

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Planned Parenthood Scrutinized

Special Report - July 15, 2011
Americans United for Life (AUL) and some members of Congress are calling for a Congressional review of Planned Parenthood in light of a new AUL report that explores a number of disturbing allegations of misconduct and illegal activity by the nation’s largest abortion provider and its affiliates. The AUL report, The Case for Investigating Planned Parenthood, “documents the known and alleged abuses by Planned Parenthood,” especially those related to the abortion services of the organization. As a result of the report, several members of Congress, including North Carolina Rep. Renee Ellmers (R–2), held a press conference on Thursday, July 14, to call for a Congressional investigation into the allegations raised against Planned Parenthood by AUL. Additionally, Rep. Ellmers sent a letter to members of Congress, urging a review of the AUL report’s allegations that Planned Parenthood “misuses government funding and violates state laws.”

The AUL report focuses on eight primary areas of alleged misconduct by Planned Parenthood, including:

Misuse of federal health care and family planning funds.
Failure to report criminal child sexual abuse.
Failure to comply with parental involvement laws.
Assisting those engaged in prostitution and/or sex trafficking.
Dangerous misuse of the abortion drug RU-486.
Misinformation about so-called “emergency contraception,” including Ella.
Willingness to provide women with inaccurate and misleading information.
Willingness to refer to substandard clinics.

The report also “documents the efforts of Planned Parenthood and its affiliates to defeat legislation intended to protect women and families, and to overturn common-sense federal and state laws.”

According to AUL, Planned Parenthood reported for 2009 that 12 percent of its health care patients received abortions, while nearly 98 percent of “Planned Parenthood’s reported pregnancy-related services to pregnant women” are abortions. Along with the 322,278 abortions it performed that year, Planned Parenthood reported only 7,021 prenatal visits and only 977 adoption referrals. A Key Facts summary included in the AUL report pointed out that of the more than 800 Planned Parenthood Clinics in the country, only 63 provide prenatal care.

AUL argues that needed health care services will still be available to women without Planned Parenthood or other abortion providers, and that the public is increasingly opposed to providing taxpayer funding for organizations that provide services that include abortion. In 2008, Planned Parenthood reported receiving nearly $350 million in government funding through grants and contracts. Public opposition to funding organizations that provide abortion services has led to recent action in a growing number of states, including North Carolina, to cut off or limit state funding of Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina (PPCNC) has filed a lawsuit in federal court over a provision in the 2011-2012 State budget that prohibits Planned Parenthood and affiliated organizations from receiving any state funding and certain federal funding administered by the state. On July 12, PPCNC asked the court to expedite the hearing of the case out of concern that PPCNC may need to close a clinic, lay off employees, and end certain programs without the state funds. Indiana, Kansas, and New Hampshire have implemented similar restrictions on Planned Parenthood funding. Both Indiana and Kansas are facing lawsuits by Planned Parenthood similar to the one against North Carolina.

Related resources:
Abortion Funding Ban Considered - May 9, 2011
House Passes State Budget - May 6, 2011
State Restrictions Reduce Abortion Rates - April 1, 2011
NCFPC Recognizes Pence Amendment - April 7, 2011
U.S. House Defunds Planned Parenthood - February 22, 2011