President Trump to Planned Parenthood: Stop Doing Abortions and We Won’t Defund You

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DETROIT (ChurchMilitant.com) - President Trump is making an offer to Planned Parenthood: Keep your federal funding, but stop doing abortions.

On March 6, President Trump confirmed with The New York Times that he was holding informal discussions with the abortion giant.

"I am pro-life, and I am deeply committed to investing in women's health and plan to significantly increase federal funding in support of non-abortion services such as cancer screenings," Trump remarked.

Planned Parenthood (PP) is rejecting the president's offer. "Planned Parenthood is proud to provide abortion — a necessary service that's as vital to our mission as birth control or cancer screenings," CEO Cecile Richards tweeted.

She added, "Fact: Federal funds do not pay for abortion. At Planned Parenthood, we don't agree with this harmful policy — but it's the law & we follow it."

While PP does not spend money directly on abortions, it does use taxpayer money for abortion services in other ways. A September 2014 report reveals 1,036 health insurance "exchange plans under Obamacare illegally cover elective abortions."

Additionally, of the $500 million PP receives annually in federal grants and reimbursements, taxpayer dollars help PP cover overhead costs and facility development, costs that are "indirectly" involved in abortions.

Speaking to The New York Times, President Trump said, "Polling shows the majority of Americans oppose public funding for abortion, even those who identify as pro-choice. There is an opportunity for organizations to continue the important work they do in support of women's health, while not providing abortion services."

In July 2016, a poll showed that while 51 percent of respondents identified themselves as pro-choice, "still 62 percent said they oppose taxpayer funding for abortion."

On March 7, the GOP rolled out the American Health Care Act as a replacement for Obamacare, which seems to put PP's future in further jeopardy. The new health care bill does not allow money to go to "prohibited entities" — which are "primarily engaged in family planning services, reproductive health and related medical care." Also prohibited would be an entity that "provides for abortions."

PP commits more tha 300,000 abortions annually.

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