Today, the United States House passed two measures: HR 3134, which temporarily defunds Planned Parenthood, and HR 3504, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
Washington, D.C. – September 18, 2015: The U.S. House of Representatives passed two Pro-Life measures today. HR 3134, sponsored by Representative Diane Black (R-TN), would temporarily suspend a large portion of taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood while reallocating an additional $235 million to Federally Qualified Health Centers. The funding moratorium would last while Congress investigates whether Planned Parenthood violated federal law by selling fetal body parts harvested in elective abortions. The bill passed with a vote of 241-187, with two Democrats voting in favor and three Republicans against.
The investigation of Planned Parenthood comes in the wake of 10 shocking undercover videos released by the Center for Medical Progress, which show top Planned Parenthood executives discussing the sale of fetal body parts procured from elective abortions. HR 3134, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015, was not the only Pro-Life bill to pass today.
HR 3504 also passed, by an even wider margin. The bill, sponsored by Representative Trent Franks (R-Arizona), would make the killing of a baby born alive after an attempted abortion, whether through an overt act or through gross negligence, a federal crime. The bill passed by 248-177, with five Democrats voting in favor of the measure.
Neither bill is expected to pass in the Senate, where leaders are exploring all options to defund the abortion industry and Planned Parenthood.
The Texas State Legislature successfully redirected funding from abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood to comprehensive health programs that offer a wide spectrum of services to a broader population. The United States Congress is considering how to copy the Texas model and disqualify abortion providers from all women’s health care grants and contracts. The passage of HR 3134 marks a step in the right direction.