New evidence shows Planned Parenthood violated laws concerning fetal tissue research by profiting off the body parts of unborn babies. Center for Medical Progress released a video revealing Planned Parenthood’s practices, and it sparked debate over these laws regulating fetal tissue research as well as the government funding of organizations like Planned Parenthood that perform abortions.
Laws restrict fetal tissue research so that no one should benefit financially from the donated tissue, However, abortion providers, are be reimbursed for additional expenses, such as storing and transporting it. Laws also state that the abortion must be performed according to what’s best for the patient, not what’s best for harvesting "the tissue."
A spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood said that the patients are not reimbursed for any donations, and Planned Parenthood claims fetal tissue donations are done “with no financial benefit for the patient or Planned Parenthood.”
Yet, in the recently released video, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood’s senior director of medical services, discussed Planned Parenthood’s practices of selling unborn babies’ body parts for profit. As Nucatola casually eats lunch she answers questions about a price range per specimen.
“You know, I would throw a number out, I would say it’s probably anywhere from $30 to $100, depending on the facility and what’s involved.”
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas urged Congress to take action saying,
There is no place for taxpayer funding of organizations that profit from taking away innocent life, much less profiting off the bodies of the lives they have stolen…[Congress] should renew efforts to fully defund Planned Parenthood to ensure that its morally bankrupt business receives not one penny of taxpayer money.
Carly Fiorina, Republican Presidential hopeful, posted,
This latest news is tragic and outrageous. This isn’t about ‘choice.’ It’s about profiting on the death of the unborn while telling women it’s about empowerment.
Diane Black authored a bill to defund Planned Parenthood and ensure that this misuse of taxpayer dollars does not continue. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte also announced that his committee would be looking into claims made in the video.