by Josh Shepherd | LifeNews.com | 3/3/15 2:56 PM

As debate heats up in Washington over the federal budget, new research shines light on the growth in taxpayers’ funding for Planned Parenthood — the largest provider of abortions in America while, according to new data, “pregnancy related services” are an ever-shrinking portion of its business.

The new report “Abortion, Inc.” from Americans United for Life (AUL) provides detailed annual figures on federal funds received — making note of Planned Parenthood’s overall $700 million profit in recent years, a significant sum for a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization.

AUL President Dr. Charmaine Yoest walks through what her group uncovered in a video accompanying the report:

Yoest brings attention to the fact of Planned Parenthood’s increased taxpayer funding since 2007, despite an economic climate where families and businesses across America have had to cut back on spending.

A mother of five herself, Yoest decries the hypocrisy of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) supposedly providing pregnancy-related services.

“Under Cecile Richards’ tenure at Planned Parenthood, the number of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood has gone up,” Yoest notes. “Other services like breast screenings have gone down.”

In a recent interview with Bound4LIFE, Dr. Michael New of Charlotte Lozier Institute backs up these statistics. “Most of Planned Parenthood’s revenue comes through performing abortions. Most people outside the pro-life movement don’t know that, because public campaigns by Planned Parenthood make disingenuous claims.”

To quote the AUL report: “Planned Parenthood’s abortion numbers remain consistently high despite the fact that its reported overall patients substantially decreased.”

Abortion-rights advocates including RH Reality Check counter that every U.S. federal budget since 1977 — including President Obama’s FY 2016 proposed budget released on February 2 — has incorporated the Hyde Amendment, which bans direct federal funding of abortion.

However, in addition to the questionable practice of funding Planned Parenthood, taxpayers have been directly paying for abortion services in recent years… due to battles the abortion giant has waged in state and federal courts.

“Currently, 17 states fund abortion through Medicaid,” notes Michael New, referencing the federal health program designed for low-income families. Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion research group, released a report only weeks ago that confirms this latest figure.

“Most of the states that fund abortion do so because of a court order,” Dr. New continues. “It’s not a measure that state legislators or the people have voted for, rather it’s under the guise of a court order.”

New reflects on the bigger picture: “Over the decades, the pro-life movement has generally been proficient at raising the alarm and ensuring the federal government is not involved in funding abortion directly. Poll after poll shows most Americans agree with this stance.”

“These 17 states happen to be the most politically liberal states, places like Oregon, California and New York,” New observes. “Some have talked of ballot measures in these states, though that has costs associated with it. I don’t see pro-life groups having the funds to run a successful ballot campaign statewide in many places.”

For the past decade, New has shown through research that cutting off public funding for abortion results in abortion numbers going down. “There is a wide consensus on this among economists, social scientists, public health researchers — Guttmacher even agrees with it.”

As to Planned Parenthood, New praises recent media-driven efforts: “The excellent work of Lila Rose and her team at Live Action, exposing the truth of what happens in these abortion centers, has tarnished Planned Parenthood’s public image.”

“That said, it would be difficult for Congress to defund Planned Parenthood’s taxpayer subsidies — though well worth pursuing to save defenseless lives,” concludes New.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, passed by the House by a vote of 242-179 on January 22, 2015, and now introduced in the Senate as S. 582, seeks to provide a “permanent, government-wide prohibition of taxpayer funding for abortion.”

Supported by major pro-life groups, the bill makes an important statement; yet, even if passed by the Senate, President Obama would likely veto it. Thus, many have honed in on making adjustments to the federal budget — considered “must-pass” legislation by the new majority, following five years of Congress failing to pass a budget.

Next steps in the complex federal budget process will happen under the oversight of Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY), an accountant by trade who plans to work closely with his colleagues in the U.S. House. “We will negotiate with the House,” Enzi said in a recent hearing. “We will pass a common budget resolution.”

Pro-life advocates are making the case for budget proposals that save lives, getting the government out of funding China’s one-child policy via the United Nations and out of backing America’s top abortion provider: Planned Parenthood.

“A groundswell of pro-life momentum swept many conservative leaders into office this past November,” says Bound4LIFE Director Matt Lockett referring to the mid-term elections. “Our prayer is that these men and women will now consider how they can protect innocent human lives — even in a task as complex as passing the federal budget.”