Pro-life groups push Republicans to cut funding for Planned Parenthood

In the United States, pro-life groups intensified their campaign against federal funding for abortion services, particularly targeting Planned Parenthood. On March 26, 2025, over 150 national and state pro-life leaders signed a letter urging Congress to act against what they consider the corruption of the abortion industry. Pro-life organizations, including Students for Life Action and SBA Pro-Life America, rallied in Washington, D.C., calling for the defunding of organizations that provide abortion services. According to their estimates, almost $700 million was funneled to Planned Parenthood in 2023, a significant portion of which comes from taxpayer dollars through Medicaid. The rally highlighted the political strategy of utilizing the budget reconciliation process to cut funds, which allows for legislative action to pass in the Senate with a simple majority, bypassing the usual 60 votes required to break a filibuster. Since Republicans hold a trifecta in government, they see this as a crucial opportunity to push for measures that would eliminate federal funding for abortion services. Planned Parenthood, widely criticized by pro-life advocates, has seen its taxpayer funding increase by 43% since 2010 and has performed record-high numbers of abortions in recent years, with 392,716 abortions reported between 2021-2022. The increase in funding and the number of abortions have reignited calls for accountability, with proponents arguing that taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize what they describe as a business based on child abuse and violence. Prominent Republican figures, including Rep. Chris Smith, articulated the need to stop the flow of federal funds to Planned Parenthood, viewing it as a critical moral and political responsibility. Many activists expressed that this is a pivotal moment for Congress to respond to constituents who are increasingly concerned about federal spending related to abortion. As the pro-life movement gains momentum, grassroots advocacy is evident across the nation, further emphasizing the urgency to address what they see as a systemic issue connected to taxpayer funding. By focusing their efforts on reducing financial support for abortion services, these groups aim to reshape the future of reproductive health funding in the United States.