House Report on Planned Parenthood Uncovers ‘Grisly Reality’ of Selling Baby Body Parts, Recommends Defunding Organization

Planned Parenthood
A sign is pictured at the entrance to a Planned Parenthood building in New York August 31, 2015.  Reuters/Lucas Jackson

The U.S. House of Representatives' Select Investigative Panel released its final report detailing disturbing activities of Planned Parenthood, including the selling of babies' body parts.

The Panel has recommended that the organization be defunded and its funds redirected to more qualified health centers. It also gave 15 criminal referrals for violations of federal laws.

The Select Panel, headed by Rep. Marsha Blackburn, was formed to bring under one umbrella the investigations being conducted on Planned Parenthood. The investigations were launched after disturbing undercover videos taken by investigative journalist David Daleiden showed the organization's executives discussing the selling of fetal parts from aborted babies.

According to the report, the investigation discovered that the process of procurement for aborted baby parts could fit into one of four categories.

The "middleman model" involves a middleman who buys the parts from an abortion clinic and delivers them to the customer. The "university model" involves a university that has established a "close relationship" with an abortion clinic within its vicinity and buys fetal tissue from it for research purposes.

The "biotech company/clinic model" involves a biotech company enjoying close ties with an abortion clinic where it gets the babies' body parts. Finally, the "late-term clinic model" employs late-term abortion, an illegal process, in order to get whole cadavers that can be sold for research purposes. This model is of "particular concern," the report said.

"It is my hope that our recommendations will result in some necessary changes within both the abortion and fetal tissue procurement industries," Blackburn said in a press release. "Our hope is that these changes will both protect women and their unborn children, as well as the integrity of scientific research."

Rep. Diane Black said the investigation has exposed the "grisly reality" of the abortion industry. The findings, she said, should "incense all people of conscience."

"Over the last year, the Select Panel's relentless fact-finding investigation has laid bare the grisly reality of an abortion industry that is driven by profit, unconcerned by matters of basic ethics and, too often, noncompliant with the few laws we have to protect the safety of women and their unborn children," Black said.

Rep. Larry Bucshon said the investigation opened the way for the public to have answers regarding the abortion industry and to make everyone who participated in "horrendous practices" accountable.

Aside from the defunding of Planned Parenthood, the Panel also recommended that Congress block federal funding for research that makes use of tissue obtained through induced abortion, and that it provide funding for programs that obtain fetal tissue from ethical methods, such as during a miscarriage.

Cecile Richards, CEO of Planned Parenthood, vowed that the organization "will not go without a fight."

"We won't go without a fight," Richards said in a tweet, "and we're ready to fight in solidarity with our allies."

    Most Popular
  • Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Faith-based films often receive mixed reactions, and The Last Supper is no exception. The movie attempts to bring a fresh perspective to one of the most iconic moments in Christian history, but does it succeed? Some reviews from critics and audiences provide insight into its strengths and shortcomings.

  • ‘The Chosen’ Season 5: The darkest season yet—What to know before watching

    The wait is over—The Chosen is back with its fifth season, and this time, things are getting intense. The new episodes dive straight into the final days of Jesus’ life, covering some of the most emotional and dramatic moments in the Bible. If you’ve been following the series, you already know that The Chosen isn’t just about retelling familiar stories—it’s about bringing them to life in a way that feels real.

  • Massacres in Syria: Over 1,000 dead, including Christians and Alawites

    Syria’s coastal regions have been devastated by a series of massacres, with reports indicating that over 1,000 people—many from Christian and Alawite communities—have been killed in brutal attacks. Entire families have been wiped out, and survivors are fleeing in search of safety as sectarian violence escalates.

  • Kim Sae-ron and Wheesung: The tragic irony of Korean society and the principles of happiness

    Not long ago, the media was in an uproar over actress Kim Sae-ron’s passing. Just months before, the same people who had relentlessly criticized her for her DUI incident were now expressing sympathy, saying, "The world was too harsh on her." The irony is impossible to ignore.

  • Newsboys move forward as a quartet after Michael Tait’s departure

    After more than a decade as the lead singer of the Newsboys, Michael Tait has officially parted ways with the band, marking a significant shift in the Christian rock group’s lineup. The remaining members—Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, and Adam Agee—have assured fans that they will continue forward, embracing a new season of music and ministry.