Congressional Republicans appear divided in the fight to defund Planned Parenthood. As reported by News of the United States, several centrist Republicans “oppose adding a measure to cut federal funding to Planned Parenthood to a reconciliation bill.” While House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and others downplayed or even dismissed the apparent discussion, it raises the question: Just how serious is the GOP when it comes to defunding the nation’s largest abortion provider?
With the pro-life victory in the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision now nearly three years old, pro-life Americans view defunding Planned Parenthood as the next logical step. However, Republicans, including Johnson, seem reluctant to move ahead. Part of that is certainly due to the party split in the House, which only barely favors Republicans.
For moderates in the GOP, the unwillingness to defund seems to center on other, non-abortion-related health services that Planned Parenthood provides. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) said, “Obviously, Planned Parenthood does provide a lot of services outside of abortion-related services, and so, you know, I’d have to see what they’re proposing.”
This is perhaps a willful misunderstanding of the healthcare landscape across the country. Planned Parenthood bills itself as the only possible alternative for women in the country when it comes to wellness visits, sex education, pregnancy tests, and similar services. The media readily pushes this narrative, and far too many Americans believe it. The reality is, Planned Parenthood is greatly outnumbered by clinics that don’t also offer abortion.
A new report released this week by the Charlotte Lozier Institute confirms this fact. According to its analysis, Planned Parenthood boasts 579 virtual and in-person locations. Conversely, the number of comprehensive women’s health clinics is over 8,800 nationwide.
“The research examined 5,500 federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) which are community-based health care providers vetted and funded by the federal government to provide comprehensive health care services to low-income, vulnerable and underserved populations,” the report says. “It also examined 3,300 rural health clinics (RHCs) which are located in rural areas that are particularly vulnerable to health care shortages. These RHCs qualify for federal government funding to make health care available to Medicare and Medicaid recipients in underserved areas.”
Planned Parenthood claims to be focused on women’s health as a whole, but the numbers don’t lie. In 2021 and 2022, 97% of its pregnancy-related services were abortions. And according to the data, the number of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood has increased over the years.
Planned Parenthood’s myths related to abortion were debunked years ago. Financially, Planned Parenthood receives enough taxpayer funds to cover 34% of its revenue. Despite claims to the contrary, money is fungible. Abortion is big business, even in the post-Dobbs era. In fact, the number of abortions is holding steady for the most part, with just a slight increase of less than 1%. This new dynamic gives Planned Parenthood the chance to act as if its clinics are needed more than ever. They are not. And Americans should not be funding Planned Parenthood at all.
REPUBLICANS WEIGH DEFUNDING PLANNED PARENTHOOD WITH TRUMP MEGABILL
It remains to be seen whether the so-called pro-life party is truly committed to defunding Planned Parenthood when it has the political capital to do so. The argument can be made that right now is not the opportune time, but there is no room to argue Planned Parenthood is a necessary part of women’s healthcare in the U.S. because it is not. Those claims are expected from members of the Democratic Party. They should not come from Republicans, even those who consider themselves moderates. At the very least, taxpayer money should not be funding healthcare clinics that perform abortions.
Planned Parenthood’s ability to control the narrative conveys that the organization is essential, but women have many healthcare options that don’t involve abortion as their marquee product. There is no question Planned Parenthood should be defunded someday. Hopefully, when the opportunity arrives, Republicans will have the courage to do so.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a contributor to the Magnolia Tribune.