Planned Parenthood continues to be a key issue for pro-life voters, and for good reason. Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the United States, performs over 300,000 abortions a year, traffics in baby body parts, and receives nearly a half-billion dollars a year in government funds. Pro-lifers want their government to have nothing to do with Planned Parenthood. So what have the candidates for President said and done about Planned Parenthood?
Republicans:
Donald Trump has never held public office and has no voting record on Planned Parenthood. He has spoken about them several times saying both that he would defund them and that he thinks Planned Parenthood has done good work.
“Planned Parenthood has done very good work for millions of women. But we’re not going to allow and we’re not going to fund, as long as you have the abortion going on at Planned Parenthood.”
“What I would do when the time came, I’d look at the individual things they do and maybe some of the individual things they do are good.”
Marco Rubio has voted repeatedly in the U.S. Senate to defund Planned Parenthood. Marco Rubio has said, “Planned Parenthood should never receive another dime from American taxpayers.”
Ted Cruz has voted repeatedly in the U.S. Senate to defund Planned Parenthood. Ted Cruz has said, “Congress should renew efforts to fully defund Planned Parenthood to ensure its morally bankrupt business receives not one penny of taxpayer money.
John Kasich as governor of Ohio directed 1.4 million in funding away from Planned Parenthood. When John Kasich became governor, the Ohio Department of Health stopped awarding new state dollars to Planned Parenthood.
Democrats:
Hillary Clinton served as a U.S. senator from New York from 2001 until 2009. During that time she maintained a 0% pro-life record, voting against the pro-life position on every vote. Referring to congressional efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, Clinton said, “That’s why President Obama’s veto was so important, and that’s why we need to have a Democratic president on January 20, 2017. And I want to be that president that will say, ‘Forget about it. Don’t waste your time; you know you’re not getting past me.’”
Democratic Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) has voted against the pro-life position more than 100 times in his federal legislative career, first in the House of Representatives (1991-2007) and since in the U.S. Senate. In response to a question from Univision’s Jorge Ramos, he said, “Do I support Planned Parenthood? I absolutely do. … I will defend Planned Parenthood. I think a lot of this attack, to be honest with you, comes from people who simply do not believe that a woman should have a right to control her own body. That’s the motive.”
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
