A division of the federal government has accepted a request from lawmakers to investigate the nation's largest abortion seller and its affiliates to determine how they are using taxpayer dollars.
Four Republican lawmakers in February asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the use of money for Planned Parenthood and other organizations. More than 50 members of Congress signed the request.
Rep. Diane Black said she's pleased with the GAO's decision.
"This independent study of how much and for what purpose these dollars are allocated to all abortion providers is necessary for Congress to ensure accountability and oversight," the Tennessee lawmaker said. "I look forward to reviewing the results and ultimately, mobilizing the support needed to stop federal funding of abortion providers once and for all."
Planned Parenthood performed a record 333,964 abortions last year — and nearly 1 million in the past three years.
"At the same time, they also received more federal taxpayer dollars than ever before — a record $542 million, an 11-percent increase over the last two years," said Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana, also one of the four. "Planned Parenthood and other organizations that provide abortions clearly benefit from Uncle Sam, but there's no accounting to prove how they actually use that money. This GAO report would shine a light on how our tax dollars are being spent."
Reps. Pete Olson, from Texas, and Chris Smith, from New Jersey, also spearheaded the request.
The GAO's announcement comes just two weeks after Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast settled charges of fraudulently overbilling the Medicaid program in Texas.
"American taxpayers deserve to know if their hard-earned money is being funneled to groups that are abusing it," said Michael Norton, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). "The GAO is right to investigate the stream of tax dollars going to Planned Parenthood and other specific organizations."
Reports suggest that the abortion seller owes millions.
"Audits and other reviews of Planned Parenthood affiliates' financial data and practices — as well as 45 audits of state family planning programs and one audit of a family planning organization — found more than $108 million in waste, abuse and potential fraud," Norton explained. "Taxpayer money is only supposed to be used responsibly and for the common good."
Contact: Bethany Monk, Source: CitizenLink
