In Wisconsin, pro-life Gov. Scott Walker says he supports legislation that would cut off taxpayer-funded grants to Planned Parenthood.
Previously, Walker, who already signed one bill to cut Planned Parenthood funding in Wisconsin, said he thought the abortion business should be de-funded state by staye across the entire country.
This past week, he told a reporter that his state is currently considering a bill that would prohibit the abortion company from receiving some grant funding, and when asked if he supported the bill, he said, “Yes, absolutely.”
The new legislation comes in the wake of videos exposing Planned Parenthood’s scandalous organ harvesting business. The footage, which was released by The Center for Medical Progress, shows the abortion giant’s top executives haggling over the cost of aborted babies’ body parts and discussing ways to alter abortions to obtain salable organs. Unbelievably, one of the newest videos catches Planned Parenthood harvesting the brain of an unborn baby who was still alive.
SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must De-Fund Planned Parenthood Immediately
The Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel reports that earlier this summer Rep. André Jacque (R-De Pere) started working on legislation that would have the Department of Health Services take control of the federal funding known as Title X. He explained that Planned Parenthood receives approximately $3.5 million from that program each year.
Rep. Jacque said the following about partnering with Gov. Walker to cut more funding from Planned Parenthood: “I’ve been pleased to work directly with Gov. Walker on pro-life issues in the past. When I’ve come to him with ideas to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood in various state programs … he has been very supportive.”
Additionally, the pro-life lawmaker is working on another bill that requires abortion facilities like Planned Parenthood to pay the full price for acquiring prescription drugs. Currently, the organization receives a discounted rate through a Medicaid program called 340B. A spokesman for Pro-Life Wisconsin said the two bills would block nearly $7.5 million in federal funding from going to Planned Parenthood each year and potentially close more of their facilities.
The Executive Director for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, Tanya Atkinson, said the following about Gov. Walker’s efforts to remove grant funding for the company in her state: “Governor Walker’s campaign commitment of continuing to block women’s access to essential, life-saving health care comes as no surprise when you look at his record of taking away women’s health care in Wisconsin.”
She also mentioned that the U.S. Department of Health is required to give Title X funds to clinics regardless of if they provide abortion services, which means she believes the could face a legal challenge. She explained, “One of those requirements includes ensuring that the funds are received by health providers that are committed to providing patients with all of their treatment options. The current administration has made it clear they are not willing to comply with that requirement.” However, Gov. Walker believes their actions are completely legal. He said, “We certainly know the approach we’re providing is legal.”
As LifeNews previously reported, on July 13, Gov. Walker officially announced he would be running for president of the United States. The Governor said in a video announcement, “It’s time to take the successes we have created in Wisconsin and apply them to Washington. It’s time to restore the values that made our nation great.”
He added, “The decision to run comes after much deliberation and many discussions with my family and supporters. Spending time in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina recently only solidified my belief that America needs bold, principled, and reform-minded leadership now more than ever. If we are going to do this, we are going to do it right. We will need to hit the ground running and build a campaign fund big enough to take on Hillary Clinton or whomever the Democrats nominate.”
SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must Investigate Planned Parenthood for Selling Aborted Baby Parts
Gov. Walker has gone to great lengths to de-fund Planned Parenthood in Wisconsin and proved to be a champion for unborn. In 2011, he made Wisconsin the fourth state in the U.S. to cut funding to the abortion business and redirect one-million dollars in state and federal family planning funds away from Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
In Wisconsin’s 2011-2013 budget, Gov. Walker and the Legislature replaced funding for abortion services with a Women’s Health Block Grant, which only allows the Department of Health Services (DHS) to allocate funds to entities that provide legitimate women’s health care, such as “pregnancy testing, perinatal care coordination and follow-up, cervical cancer screening, sexually transmitted infection prevention, testing, treatment and follow-up, and general health screenings.”
The Legislative Director of Wisconsin Right to Life praised Walker’s efforts to de-fund Planned Parenthood. Susan Armacost said, “Governor Walker and the state legislature acted courageously to protect Wisconsin taxpayers from having their tax dollars used to destroy human life. While there is more work to be done to protect taxpayers from paying for abortions, this state budget has greatly improved the situation. On behalf of Wisconsin Right to Life members and supporters throughout the state, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Governor Walker and the legislature.”
In July, Gov. Walker signed into law a bill that would ban abortions after 20- weeks and protect unborn babies from painful late-term abortions. In an interview with conservative talk show host Charlie Sykes, he said, “I think that’s a very rational position not only for those of us who are pro-life, but I think most people who have a rational view on this issue think those who oppose it are fairly extreme on this one.”
