The Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015 (H. R.

3134) was introduced in the

United States House of Representatives on July 21, and passed on Sept. 18 with
241 votes for, 187 votes against, one vote present, or soft-no, and five votes
were neutral as not voting.
Planned Parenthood receives more than $500 million in federal funding each
year, according to theWashington Post.
This all came about due to the Internet release of a video clip on July 14 showing
Deborah Nucatola, senior medical director at Planned Parenthood since 2009,
discussing fetal tissue donations. The full length video was later released, and
can be viewed on Youtube.
Nucatola is seen discussing how she uses an ultrasound to check the condition
of the fetus or organs that are of value, before she removes them. According to
18 U.S. Code 1531, performing partial-birth abortions, meaning the fetus is killed
with further action outside the womb, is illegal.
This raises a huge issue with conservatives against abortion, lawmakers and
many citizens with various moral standpoints. Nine more videos were released
on the Internet, each has footage of Planned Parenthood officials allegedly
discussing the sales of baby body parts.
Shortly after, Planned Parenthood released a statement. A well-funded group
established for the purpose of damaging Planned Parenthoods mission and
services has promoted heavily edited, secretly recorded videotape that falsely
portrays Planned Parenthoods participation in tissue donation programs that
support lifesaving scientific research, said Eric Ferrero, the Vice President of
Communication of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, is co-signing the bill.
The recent allegations against Planned Parenthood are morally reprehensible,
said Williams. There is no justification for the American people to finance an
organization that has such disregard for human life, Williams said in a press
release.

Richelle King, Co-chair of Planned Parenthoods Leadership and Advocacy

Council in Texas, says her goal is to debunk myths and misinformation about the
organization that the public has latched onto.
The myth that Planned Parenthood sells baby body parts is a manipulation of
language used to confuse people that arent aware of how fetal tissue donation
works. King says that women who consent to an abortion can also consent to
donating fetal tissue for scientific research in the curing of diseases.
She describes the effect the defunding would have on the people of Texas.
That would be a devastating blow considering a lot of the people Planned
Parenthood serves dont have health insurance or are low income families
dependent on Medicaid.
King says she is not worried because of President Obamas speech on
Wednesday, Sept. 16. Obama threatened legislators with a veto if the Defund
Planned Parenthood Act is pushed through the Senate.
Joseph Trahan, University of Texas Austin sophomore PR major and Campus
Director of the University Democrats, was deeply bothered by the news of the
governments plan to strip Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood.
In response, he started a petition raising awareness and encouraging citizens to
sign in support of the organization.
The petition is also intended to give credibility to the claim that Texans do really
care about Planned Parenthood, because theres strength in numbers, Trahan
said.
As of the second week in circulation, the petition has gathered approximately 450
signatures, including former Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis.
There has been so much misinformation released to the public with the highly
edited videos, with baseless allegations of fraud or tampering with abortion
procedures that go against federal law. All these claims bear no fruit. No
hardcore evidence can support these claims, Trahan said.

Allison Peregory, Young Conservatives of Texas UT chapter chairman, weighs in

on the debate.
Its been a major controversy because it questions the integrity of the
organization, and its illegal to sell baby body parts.
Peregory says YCT is in favor, along with Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, of the
defunding act based upon the fact that Planned Parenthood has now created
doubt and has now created this question of character.
Peregory backs her chapter saying that for her the issue is more about
preserving the moral integrity of the state of Texas.
Do we really want our money going to an organization that is involved in these
kinds of practices? Peregory said.
Peregory says that Planned Parenthoods statement after-the-fact was just a PR
crisis management stunt to hush the public.
In response to Trahans petition, Peregory says its too little too latethis is the
law, this is whats happening and if you didnt want that law to happen then you
should have been protesting and should have been more active about it before.