Ryan-DeLauro Bill aka Planned Parenthood Ecomonic Stimulus Act

   Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

On July 23, a bipartisan group of pro-life leaders hosted a web conference to educate the public about the anti-life agenda of the current congress and administration. Over 36,000 people tuned in to hear the information. Time and time again speakers warned that the over-arching Freedom of Choice Act may not be introduced by that name, but its contents would be inserted into the health care reform bill as well as other legislation. There would be legislation that would be gussied up with neutral or pro-life names but would really be furthering the culture of death. This stealth FOCA would be just as deadly.

Enter the "Preventing Unintended Pregnancies, Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act" sponsored by Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops posted commentary condemning this legislation  on their web site. Susan Wills, the Assistant Director for Education and Outreach in the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops calls this act the Planned Parenthood Economic Stimulus Package of 2009. This bill is all about giving more money to Planned Parenthood.

The deception begins with the sponsorship of the bill. Rosa DeLauro is an acknowledged pro-abortion advocate. However, Tim Ryan is being touted as the pro-life sonsor of the bill. Of course, those supporting this measure fail to mention that Tim Ryan was removed from the National Advisory Board of Democrats for Life because he no longer acted in a way consistent with pro-life principles. He has a 100% approval rating from the pro-abortion group NARAL. He voted in favor of taxpayer funding for abortions in Washington D.C. Representative Ryan characterizes his removal from Democrats for Life as insignificant because he characterizes this organization as a "fringe group".

Supporting Planned Parenthood is key for this administration. As reported by LifeNews.com, Tina Tchen, an Obama administration staffer, spoke at a Planned Parenthood conference urging attendees to up their lobbying efforts to include abortion in the health care reform effort.

During the event, Tchen told the Planned Parenthood activists that if they want abortion as a part of the health care restructuring plan Congress is considering, they need to "bring it" -- and up their lobbying efforts.

Tchen, who shared a panel with Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, told activists that Obama is committed to abortion and health care.

"I can say this directly from the White House, the President reiterated to all of us in the senior staff that health care is the most important issue," she said, according to a post on a pro-abortion blog site. "It is the signature issue that he ran on, it is what he believes is one of the singularly most important reforms that need to be made that affects America, that affects our economy."

Tchen also reminded the pro-abortion stalwarts that they had elected a president who shares their views and pointed them to his January 22 statement, his first as president on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, praising the decision.

 

Last Friday, Representative Mike Pence (R-Ind) submitted an amendment to an HHS appropriations bill to defund Planned Parenthood. This amendment would have prohibited Planned Parenthood from receiving HHS Title X funds. Currently Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest purveyor of abortions. It receives over $350 million annually in Title X funding. It's latest annual report indicates that 23% of its revenue comes from these federal funds. The Pence Amendment failed by a vote of 183 to 247. Only 20 Democrats voted for this amendment. Nine Republicans voted against this amendment. Tim Ryan voted against this amendment. All Democrats from Maryland voted against this amendment. Both Gerry Connolly and Jim Moran, Northern Virginia Democrats voted against the amendment. Republicans from both Maryland and Virginia voted for the amendment.

Planned Parenthood clinics have been caught on tape covering up statutory rape, enabling underage girls to circumvent parental notification laws, and happily accepting donations meant to target black babies.  Planned Parenthood was started by Margaret Sanger as a way to further her eugenic principles. She wanted to stop blacks and other ethnic minorities from reproducing. She referred to them as "human weeds". Rather than repudiating this racist origin, Planned Parenthood currently calls its highest honor the Margaret Sanger Award. This year's recipient was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The fact is that supporting Planned Parenthood supports abortion. Representative Pence makes that clear in his address on the House floor. It is interesting that Gerry Connolly and Jim Moran claim to be Catholic and are unfailing supporters of Planned Parenthood. Expect them to support this Planned Parenthood Economic Stimulus Bill.

For those who are truly serious about reducing abortions, there is already a bill in Congress.  HR  2035 is the Pregnant Woman Support Act. This bill has the endorsement of Bishop Rigali, Chairman of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities.