June 12, 2006

One of the leading pro-life groups in America is wondering why the nation's largest abortion-provider, Planned Parenthood, continues to beg for government funds -- even though the non-profit is just coming off one of its best years ever in terms of income and "excess revenue."

Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is reporting that in Fiscal Year 2004-2005, it generated $882 million in income, one-third of which ($272 million) comes from American taxpayers.  During the same time period, PPFA showed an "excess revenue over expenses" -- known outside not-for-profit entities as "profit" -- of $63 million, the second highest ever for the abortion-provider in one year.  Yet Planned Parenthood continues to clamor for more federal funds.  Jim Sedlak of American Life League (ALL) calls that "absolutely incredible."

"This is [nearly] the highest operating profit that Planned Parenthood has ever made. So they make more money in profit, which means they put it in the bank, and they get more government money," Sedlak comments.  "There is something wrong with that picture."  He adds that he supposes officials with the abortion agency must assume elected officials cannot read a simple annual report; otherwise PPFA would note be asking for increased government funding.

Sedlak notes that since 1987, PPFA has received a total of $3.9 billion in taxpayers' money -- and has ended the lives of more than 3.8 million babies.  "It is absolutely incredible that, in these days of natural disasters and homeland security threats, our federal, state, and local governments would fund this controversial organization to the tune of nearly $4 billion," he says.  "Why is our government so quick to finance such ruthless attacks on our own innocent children?"

And it goes beyond abortions, according to Sedlak.  He explains Planned Parenthood also uses tax dollars to downplay abstinence among America's youth.  "Planned Parenthood is not only about killing babies in the womb," he says.  "They have [conducted] specific attacks on our young people, and they are increasing those attacks as they put more and more money into their brand of sex education and vehemently fight against abstinence sex education."

Why?  As Sedlak points out, Planned Parenthood only benefits financially from youth who are sexually active.  He says the innocence of 24 million young people has been attacked through the group's contraceptive-based sex-education programs.

"Large numbers of Americans want this taxpayer funding to stop," Sedlak states in a press release.  "We are confident this new financial report [from Planned Parenthood] will generate a grassroots groundswell for government to cut off the ever-increasing flow of our dollars."  He refers concerned Americans to American Life League's online petition campaign to end taxpayer funding of the agency, StopPlannedParenthoodFunding.com.

According to ALL, in addition to the financial milestones Planned Parenthood set new standards in two other areas during Fiscal Year 2004-2005: the number of abortions (255,015), and its ratio of abortions to adoption referrals (180:1).