By Kathleen Gilbert
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 23, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An amendment introduced to strip Planned Parenthood of its taxpayer funding has passed the Rules Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, and is up for a vote on the House floor Friday, reports Jim Sedlak of the American Life League.
U.S. House Representative Mike Pence (R-Ind.) submitted, as part of the Health and Human Services appropriations bill, an amendment to render Planned Parenthood ineligible to receive Title X funds for “family planning” services.
The Pence Amendment states: “None of the funds made available under this Act shall be available to Planned Parenthood for any purpose under Title X of the Public Health Services Act.”
American Life League president Jim Sedlak announced the breaking news during the “Stop the Abortion Mandate” webcast Thursday evening dedicated to fighting the vast expansion of abortion hidden in President Obama's healthcare bill.
Sedlak said the amendment's success in the Rules Committee “has to be an act of God,” and strongly urged pro-lifers to deluge their representatives with calls and emails asking them to support the Pence amendment.
“You can bet that if the vote happens tomorrow and there is a significant turnout of votes against Planned Parenthood, that that is going to start to derail all of Planned Parenthood's plans,” he said. “It will have a ripple effect throughout Congress, and a ripple effect into the health bill.”
U.S. Capitol switchboard:
202.224.3121
To contact House representatives
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Congressman Makes Bid to Strip Planned Parenthood of Title X Funds