FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 20, 2011
Contact: Mallory Quigley, (202) 223-8073
SBA List Demands Answers from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
Washington, D.C. – Concerned that federal funds meant to assist victims of human trafficking may now be used by three grantee organizations to sub-contract with Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion enterprise, Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser sent a letter today to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Demanding that she address these concerns, Dannenfelser cited Planned Parenthood’s “repeated failure to protect vulnerable women.” Dannenfelser called it “the last place that victims of sex trafficking should be referred to receive the compassionate reproductive care that they deserve.”
In September 2011 HHS refused to renew a longstanding grant to assist trafficking victims with the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops (USSCB) because they would not refer women for abortions. HHS sought applications for new grantees, indicating that it would give a “strong preference” to those willing to offer referrals for the “full range of legally permissible gynecological and obstetric care,” i.e. abortion.
The letter cites Planned Parenthood’s ties to human trafficking including a string of undercover videos released this time last year showing Planned Parenthood employees showing willingness to aid and abet alleged human traffickers. The outrage generated from the scandal has mobilized Congress and state legislatures across the country to strip taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood.
Key excerpts of the letter follow:
“As you know, the three organizations that received grants – Heartland Human Care Services Inc. of Chicago, IL; Tapestri Inc. of Tucker, GA; and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants of Arlington, VA – replace a grant that was previously issued for a period of five years to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to provide assistance to victims of human trafficking.
“Sending victims of sex trafficking to Planned Parenthood would be an absolute travesty given that employees of the abortion business have been caught on tape showing a willingness to aid and abet alleged human traffickers.
“Because of Planned Parenthood’s repeated failure to protect vulnerable women and the fact that its business model is centered on abortion, it is the last place that victims of sex trafficking should be referred to receive the compassionate reproductive care that they deserve.”
The SBA List has been at the forefront of the fight to expose Planned Parenthood (PPFA). In reply to PPFA’s recently released 2009-2010 annual report, the SBA List circulated a fact sheet highlighting that for the first time the entity has topped $1 billion in total net asset, while receiving 46 percent of their annual revenue ($487,400,000) from U.S. taxpayers in the form of government grants, contracts & Medicaid reimbursements. Abortion procedures made up 91 percent (329,445) of Planned Parenthood’s services for pregnant women, while prenatal services and adoption referrals account for only 8.6 percent (31,098) and 0.2 percent (841), respectively.
The Susan B. Anthony List is a nationwide network of more than 330,000 Americans dedicated to mobilizing, advancing, and representing pro-life women in politics. Its connected Candidate Fund increases the percentage of pro-life women in the political process.
The SBA Pro-Life America National Pro-life Scorecard is a tool that helps hold members of Congress accountable for their legislative records on life and that highlights leadership in the fight to serve women and save babies.
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