SB300 is smart fiscal policy that favors comprehensive health care providers over abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood

Press Release – Pennsylvania Family Council – April 26, 2017

Harrisburg – The Senate Finance Committee’s vote today in favor of SB300 is a very positive step for women’s health care and for Pennsylvania taxpayers, too.  Given these tight fiscal times, funding for women’s health care should be prioritized to facilities providing comprehensive health care services versus those — like Planned Parenthood — that offer limited services and that focus on abortion.  SB 300 would do just that.

“Planned Parenthood has only 25 facilities in Pennsylvania compared to over 300 community health centers and numerous hospitals across Pennsylvania that provide for women’s health,” says Michael Geer, president for the Pennsylvania Family Council. “Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion business in Pennsylvania, with a steadily increasing abortion market share. And yet, in the past several years Planned Parenthood has seen a double-digit drop in provision of non-abortion services. Clearly, they do not deserve any priority in receiving taxpayer funding.”

Not one Planned Parenthood in Pennsylvania offers prenatal care to women or is licensed to perform a single mammogram. According to their annual reports, they have had a 16% drop in patients over their last two reporting cycles (2013-2015). In just their latest reporting year (2015) cancer screenings & pap tests dropped 23%. Meanwhile, though overall statewide abortion numbers are down by nearly 7,000 annually since 2008, Planned Parenthood abortions are up by more than 1,500 annually over the same time period.

Senator John Eichelberger asked a great question during media interviews after the committee vote – namely, “Why doesn’t Planned Parenthood justify why they deserve this tax money?,” commented Tom Shaheen, Vice President for Policy at the Pennsylvania Family Council. “No prenatal care. No mammograms. Fewer patients. Fewer cancer screenings. No mention of adoption referrals in their annual reports. Yet what has increased are their abortions and taxpayer funding. That’s not a wise investment for Pennsylvania taxpayers.”

Pennsylvania Family Council applauds Senator John Eichelberger for his lead on SB300 and the Senate Finance Committee members who voted in favor of this good legislation. We now encourage the full Senate to vote in favor of SB300 and to be wise stewards of Pennsylvania taxpayer dollars.

For more analysis of Planned Parenthood’s activities in Pennsylvania, click here for the statewide report,“Extreme: Planned Parenthood in Pennsylvania: their abortion business, partisan politics and why it’s time to end their taxpayer funding.”

TAKE ACTION: Tell your State Senator you support SB300 – click here to send an email using our Citizen Action Center.

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The Pennsylvania Family Council is a non-profit organization based in Harrisburg that provides a platform for informing and coordinating with those Pennsylvanians who care deeply about liberty and the cultural and societal issues that affect the family. It is supported by private donations from its many supporters across the Commonwealth. Visit pafamily.org for more information.