BREAKING: Pence Amendment Fails, House Votes to Increase Tax Dollars for Planned Parenthood

LifeSiteNews ^ | July 24, 2009 | Kathleen Gilbert

[cmj328]

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 24, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - After unexpectedly passing the House Rules committee late yesterday, an amendment introduced by Rep. Mike Pence to strip Planned Parenthood of its taxpayer funding under Health and Human Services "family planning" (or Title X) funds, has failed.

The House of Representatives rejected the Pence Amendment to defund Planned Parenthood by a vote of 183 to 247.

The Labor/Health and Human Services appropriations bill contains $317.5 million for the Title X Family Planning program (a $10 million or 3% increase over 2008 levels), which is a major source of funding for Planned Parenthood affiliates. Planned Parenthood is the recipient of approximately 23% of Title X Family Planning funds.

In 2008, Planned Parenthood provided nearly 290,000 abortions, accounting for approximately one in five abortions nationwide. The organization has recently come under fire for failing to report cases of statutory rape and for encouraging teen girls to lie to clinic workers in order to evade parental notification and consent laws.

"Representative Mike Pence offered an amendment to respect the will of the majority of pro-life Americans, the citizens who do not want their hard-earned tax dollars supporting abortion providers," said Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser.

"Our U.S. Government should promote real assistance for mothers that upholds the dignity of women and families, and doesn't rely upon subsidizing abortions at every turn."

Dannenfelser vowed to "use every available tool to educate pro-life Americans across the country about the result of this vote." "Americans will know whether or not their representative voted on the side of the pro-life taxpayer," she said.

[PhiKapMom]

That makes more sense when I saw some of the people lined up against this. Thanks for getting the explanation.