Analysis

Trillion Dollar Budget Deal Funds Planned Parenthood Yet Again

REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

William Davis Contributor
Font Size:

The newest bipartisan budget deal represents another political victory for Planned Parenthood.

The latest bipartisan budget deal brokered by the White House increases government spending to $1.37 trillion and keeps Planned Parenthood’s funding intact. The abortion giant receives over $500 million annually in federal funding, although roughly $60 million was slashed from its Title X funding by the Trump administration. (RELATED: ‘Pro-Life’ Sen. Bob Casey Rips Trump’s Planned Parenthood Move)

The budget passed the House of Representatives on Thursday despite staunch opposition from most House Republicans, including the conservative House Freedom Caucus. The legislation was opposed by 132 of 197 House Republicans, but the president still intends to sign the bill if it passes the Senate as expected.

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 18: A sign hangs above a Planned Parenthood clinic on May 18, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. The Trump administration is expected to announce a plan for massive funding cuts to Planned Parenthood and other taxpayer-backed abortion providers by reinstating a Reagan-era rule that prohibits federal funding from going to clinics that discuss abortion with women or that share space with abortion providers. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

A sign hangs above a Planned Parenthood clinic on May 18, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Ending federal funding for Planned Parenthood became a pillar of the Republican platform in 2016 after videos surfaced of the organization allegedly trafficking the body parts of aborted children, a violation of federal law. (RELATED: The ‘Most Damning’ Undercover Videos Revealing Planned Parenthood Sold Aborted Baby Parts Might Go Public)

Nevertheless, federal funding for Planned Parenthood has been a point of stability even as the organization prepares to hire its third president in less than a year following the surprising dismissal of former president Leana Wen. Wen said that she was fired because the direction she was taking the organization was inconsistent with the direction the board wanted to take.

Wen reportedly wanted to promote Planned Parenthood as a woman’s health organization and soften the organization’s reputation in the heartland. However, the organization’s leadership reportedly wanted to double down on political advocacy, and specifically abortion advocacy.

Planned Parenthood donated nearly $8 million to Democrats during the 2018 midterm election cycle, and nearly $15 million during the 2016 election cycle, according to opensecrets.org.

Because of the organization’s vigorous abortion advocacy and overall left-wing political leanings, Republicans have been harshly criticized for not fulfilling their promise to defund the organization, even as the party maintained unified control of the federal government during the first two years of Trump’s presidency.