“One of my top priorities will be to defund Planned Parenthood,” (Ron Estes, U.S. Congressman, Fourth District of Kansas). Congressman Estes is right, Planned Parenthood needs to be defunded. “Every year, Planned Parenthood receives roughly $618 million in tax money through various sources. This makes taxpayers easily the largest single source of income for Planned Parenthood, providing around 40% of their funding,” (Willian Lawyer). Planned Parenthood, despite what they may claim, mainly focuses on ending the lives of the unborn while occasionally providing other health services like, assisting people with reproductive cancer, helping people change their gender identities , and aiding people with STDs. Regardless of what others may say, Planned Parenthood should be defunded because of documented cases of potential fraud, sexual abuse cover ups, their unethical services, and because there are other healthcare options. 

We can all agree that It can be agreed upon, there are many more cases of fraud involving concerning Planned Parenthood than anyone would like. The most notable lawsuit against Planned Parenthood is the United States ex rel. Doe v. Planned Parenthood Federation of America. In this lawsuit Texas sued Planned Parenthood for fraud and various other activities resultingending  in which Planned Parenthood havinghad to give up 1.8 billion dollars. Not only that, but “ten state audits found numerous improper practices resulting in significant Title XIX-Medicaid overpayments of nearly $8 million to Planned Parenthood affiliates for family planning and reproductive health services claims. Furthermore, thirty-eight federal audits of state family planning programs by HHS-OIG found between $88 million and $99 million in overbilling,” (Alliance Defence Fund). There has been close to $100 million dollars found in overbilling on the part of Planned Parenthood. “Failure to comply with Family PACT billing instructions has resulted in the Department reimbursing PPH for claims in excess of cost. Reimbursement in excess of cost for the audit period totaled $5,213,645.92,” (Department of Health Services). The habitual misuse of government funds through overbilling should lead to the cessation of federal payments to Planned Parenthood. 

Planned Parenthood also has a history of covering up child sexual abuse, going against its own policy and the law. Regrettably, there are multiple cases of possible sexual abuse that Planned Parenthood neglected to report. “Review of the History and Physical dated 4/9/14 revealed patient, MR # 16, was 14 years old and had 2 living children given in separate births. There was no documentation in the medical record of the facility reporting suspected abuse to the proper authorities as required by Ala. Code Reporting of Child Abuse or neglect. An interview was conducted on 11/21/14 at 1:50 PM with Employee Identifier (EI) # 5, Director of Patient Services who verified a report was not made,” (Alabama Department of Public Health). Doing the math, if MR # 16 had two children by the age of fourteen, MR # 16 would have had at least one child at the age of thirteen or younger. However, Planned Parenthood neglected to send a report to the authorities. Not only has Planned Parenthood been careless about potential sex abuse, they have also disregarded sex abuse when informed of it directly. “Following its “don’t ask/don’t tell” policy, Planned Parenthood and at least one of the other defendants did not report their knowledge that Denise was a victim of sexual abuse. This violation of their duties under RC 2151.421 resulted in Denise being subjected to the sexual abuse of her biological father for another one and one-half years,” (Fairbanks Complaint). Even when Denise informed Planned Parenthood of her abuse they still neglected to send a report. Because of these cases and many others Planned Parenthood needs to be defunded to protect the many young women in our country.

Planned Parenthood should be defundedshut down because not only do they treat those in need carelessly, they also provide unethical services. These services include abortion. Many people will say women have a right to abortion because it’s their bodies, but no one should have the right to murder. Abortion is ending the life of a defenseless individual. If a thirteen year old girl was impregnated, and decided to have her child, could she then later decide to kill her child? Why then is it different when the child is in the womb? Not just that, but in almost forty states, the killing of a pregnant woman is considered a double homicide. One for the woman, and one for the unborn child. “The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can kill her own child, what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me? There is nothing between,” (Mother Teresa). If we want peace, abortions need to end. In the words of President Trump, “Planned Parenthood does some very good work. But I would defund as long as they're doing abortions.”

In addition to the Not only because of all the other arguments listed above, Planned Parenthood should be defunded because there are alternative healthcare options. Many will claim that if Planned Parenthood was defunded, countless people would be without healthcare, but therehere are many low cost health care centers all over America. “Currently, there are about 650 Planned Parenthood clinics in the United States. This number may seem large, but there are more than 14,000 low-cost health clinics among Federally Qualified Health Centers alone,” (Human Life International). Planned Parenthood clinics are only a fraction of the low cost hospitals. Not only that, but humans are resilient. “Human beings can get used to virtually anything, given plenty of time and no choice in the matter whatsoever,” (Tom Holt). If Planned Parenthood was shut down today, in twenty years, would people still be complaining? What about in a hundred? In the end, shutting down Planned Parenthood will strengthen our country.

Due to fraud, sex abuse cover up, and abortions, Planned Parenthood should be defunded. There are so many cases where Planned Parenthood has hurt our country. They have taken advantage of overbilling and have neglected our youth. “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, which among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” (The Declaration of Independence). I believe that until abortions and their providers are stopped, we will never be able to truly say that in our country everyone has the right to live.