Democrat presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) accused Senate Republicans Wednesday of enacting a “long-term smear campaign” to defund Planned Parenthood in the wake of shocking undercover videos demonstrating the abortion organization’s involvement in the sale of aborted baby organs.
“The attempt by Senate Republicans to cut off support for Planned Parenthood is an attack on women’s health,” Sanders said in a statement. “The current attempt to discredit Planned Parenthood is part of a long-term smear campaign by people who want to deny women in this country the right to control their own bodies.”
Sanders’ comments come after Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell confirmed the chamber would vote on legislation next week to defund the nation’s largest abortion provider. A new Republican plan proposes to end funding for Planned Parenthood and redirect it to other health organizations for women that do not provide abortions.
“Let’s be clear: Federal funding for Planned Parenthood does not pay for abortions,” Sanders continued without mention of the sale of aborted baby parts as seen in the videos. “The vast majority of government funding that Planned Parenthood receives is through Medicaid reimbursements. Cutting that funding will be devastating to the health needs of millions of women who desperately need the quality services Planned Parenthood provides.”
In fact, Planned Parenthood is an avid cheerleader for Obamacare which, essentially, is an expansion of Medicaid. With Planned Parenthood affiliates given federal funding to act as “navigators” to help Americans sign up for Obamacare, the nation’s largest abortion provider knows it will benefit significantly from more women on Medicaid who will want “free” birth control.
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) also sounded the “war on women” alarm on Tuesday, charging Republicans with “an attack on women’s health,” according to The Hill.