Republicans seek probe of abortion rules after Planned Parenthood videos

Reuters 22 July 2015
Republican presidential candidates and lawmakers are calling for Planned Parenthood to be investigated and its federal funding eliminated after two videos that critics said showed the reproductive health care group is involved in the illegal sale of aborted fetal tissue.

White House hopeful Senator Rand Paul introduced an amendment to a highway bill Wednesday that would cut the nearly $500 million in taxpayer funding that goes annually to Planned Parenthood.

“Not one more taxpayer dollar should go to Planned Parenthood and I intend to make that goal a reality,” Paul said.

Republican Representative Diane Black introduced a bill on Tuesday that would place an immediate moratorium on all federal funding for one year while Congress investigates the group’s practices. Eighty lawmakers signed on as co-sponsors.

The videos show Planned Parenthood officials discussing ways to perform abortions to preserve fetal tissue for research and the costs involved. They were secretly recorded by anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress.

Planned Parenthood says it does not profit from fetal tissue donation and only receives payment for associated costs, which is legally permissible.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/22/us-usa-plannedparenthood-congress-idUSKCN0PW21K20150722