Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), Dr. Ben Carson, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), former Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) and other pro-life advocates to call for the end of taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood at a Students for Life rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.
Students for Life of America is a national pro-life organization and is considered the largest youth-led pro-life group in America. They focus on training and equipping college, high school, medical, and law school students in pro-life advocacy. Today’s rally was one of many rallies that took place in more than 60 cities across the nation.
“It is time for federal taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood to end and let community health centers use that funding to provide health care services,” said Lankford. “It is unacceptable to let the taxes of Americans who strongly oppose abortion continue to be funneled to this organization.
“In our Declaration of Independence, the Founders of America declared that everyone is endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, including and especially life. I’m thankful for the many young people who are advocating for unborn lives in such an effective and compassionate way all across the nation.”
Last Wednesday, Lankford introduced the Defund Planned Parenthood Act (S.1836), a bill to end taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood for a year while they are investigated for possible illegal practices. The bill would set a one-year moratorium on Planned Parenthood funding from the government, unless the organization ceases performing abortions. This would allow more federal dollars to go toward organizations like community health centers, which serve low-income populations and provide direct health care to women across the country.
On July 16, Lankford delivered a passionate speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate about Planned Parenthood. Lankford also wrote an op-ed calling for Congress to end taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood and take up the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (S.1553) to ban abortions after five months.
