Still, the bishops' conference does not favor a full repeal of the law, but rather advocatse for fixes to be made to correct problems with the law.
Other pro-life leaders agreed that defunding Planned Parenthood isn't enough – support must be given to alternative options for women's health care.
"If he cares about women and children, President Obama should sign this bill that reallocates public funds instead to facilities providing authentic healthcare for women," stated Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie, policy advisor for The Catholic Association.
Planned Parenthood has claimed that it should receive federal funds because of the non-abortion health care services it provides, but its non-abortion services declined significantly in fiscal year 2014-15, while its abortion services remained about the same from the previous year, SBA List noted.
"This profit-driven, abortion-centered business is a bad investment for taxpayers, period. Only abortions did not see a dramatic drop [in 2015]," Dannenfelser stated.
The nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood received almost $554 million in FY 2014-15 from government health grants and reimbursements. Federal dollars are prohibited from funding abortions, although critics argue that the money frees up other funds to focus on abortion. The organization's revenue from federal dollars are largely Medicaid reimbursements and Title X funds, a family planning fund for low-income persons.
Cancer screening and prevention services at Planned Parenthood dropped by 27 percent in 2015, according to Planned Parenthood's annual reports. The number of abortions performed, however, fell only around one percent in fiscal year 2014-15.
"There are more than 13,500 publicly supported alternatives for women's health care in this country and 588 in Missouri – alternatives that treat women without performing abortions," stated Rep. Wagner.
"Planned Parenthood is not the only game in town," Day said. "They are a very small player in the health care system, and they should not be receiving this special treatment."
"Planned Parenthood should be forced to raise their funds entirely through private donations like any other non-profit and not rely on taxpayers for the majority of their revenue," stated Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life.
Pro-lifers also objected to the federal funding of the organization on the grounds that its affiliates have supplied fetal tissue of aborted babies to harvesters.
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That was brought to light in the summer of 2015 when the citizen journalist group Center for Medical Progress launched an investigative series of videos exploring Planned Parenthood's role in offering the fetal body parts for compensation. Top Planned Parenthood doctors were seen on an undercover camera casually discussing the dismemberment of aborted babies.
Two Congressional committees subsequently launched investigations into Planned Parenthood over allegations of illegal behavior, but did not find evidence that the organization broke the law. A special investigative panel has been created to further look into whether the organization committed any illegal acts.
Fetal body parts can be sold for research for "reasonable" compensation like operating and transportation costs, but not for "valuable consideration," according to federal law. Planned Parenthood has repeatedly said that it has acted within the law and has made no illegal profits off the sale of unborn body parts.
Still, many pro-life groups argue that the footage in the videos shows the grisly reality of abortion and related use of unborn babies' tissue.
"End taxpayer funding to those who commit these cruel and inhumane acts," Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) stated on the House floor on Wednesday before the reconciliation vote.
Photo credit: Orhan Cam via www.shutterstock.com.
Matt Hadro was the political editor at Catholic News Agency through October 2021. He previously worked as CNA senior D.C. correspondent and as a press secretary for U.S. Congressman Chris Smith.