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Provision Giving Planned Parenthood More Funding Stripped from U.S. War Supplemental Bill

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

WASHINGTON, June 20, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Pro-life groups across the U.S. are celebrating a victory with the removal of an amendment to the 2008 War Supplemental Bill (H.R. 2642) that would have given Planned Parenthood facilities discounted drugs at taxpayer expense.

The amendment, tacked on to a bill meant to fund the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, would have allowed for certain Planned Parenthood clinics and university healthcare centers to get drugs at further reduced prices, allowing for easier and cheaper distribution of controversial drugs such as birth control pills and the "morning after pill" or Plan B.

The U.S. House of Representatives, however, stripped the Planned Parenthood provision at the last minute and then passed the bill last night.

Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America (CWA), said, "Our troops need funding, and their bill should not be loaded up with benefits for Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood already receives over $300 million in funding from federal, state and local governments. In 2006, Planned Parenthood reported a record revenue of $112 million. CWA is pleased this bill funds our troops instead of lining the already inflated pockets of Planned Parenthood."

Shari Rendall, CWA's Director of Legislation and Public Policy said this was this was a "grass roots" victory for all the pro-life Americans who took action by writing to their representatives on this issue.

"We could not have done this without our members taking action. Our successes are so reliant on your efforts. A lot of times you feel like you don't make a difference. Well, today shows that you all truly do make a difference," Rendall said.

Marie Hahnenburg of the American Life League said, "It is outrageous that this funding bill, [which] is for our troops, could actually give money to Planned Parenthood, an organization that is the largest abortion chain in the country."

Hahnenburg explained that Planned Parenthood currently buys birth-control pills for $2 for a month's supply, and then turns around and sells them for $18 to $30. "Why does this organization need any more of our tax dollars?" she asked. "It makes no sense. They're out to kill our babies and sexualize our young people. This organization must be stopped. They should not be receiving any of our dollars."

ABC News reported last month that Senator John McCain called a similar, but more expensive version of the supplemental war funding bill "bloated" and "loaded down with extraneous provisions unrelated to the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Today, McCain's Senate office released a written statement welcoming the passage of the pared-down version of the bill:

"I am pleased an agreement has finally been reached to fund our troops... Fortunately, it is reported that an agreement between the House, Senate, and Administration is imminent, and urgently needed funding will be enacted shortly not only to aid our troops, but to fund several emergencies throughout our nation, particularly in the Midwest. We need to provide federal assistance to these flood damaged communities as soon as possible."

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