by Steven Ertelt | LifeNews.com | 3/25/15 4:46 PM

A new governmental report shows American taxpayers have been forced to send $1.5 billion in federal funds to the nation’s biggest abortion business, Planned Parenthood.

Two years ago, pro-life members of Congress sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a comprehensive report on which abortion advocacy groups Americans were forced to fund with their tax dollars. Today the government watchdog (GAO) released the requested report which details funding for six abortion advocacy groups over a three year period (2010-2012).

The six organizations researched were Planned Parenthood, Population Council, International Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Guttmacher Institute, Advocates for Youth and Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.

The report found the Planned Parenthood abortion corporation and its affiliates received $344.5 million in federal funds and another $1.2 billion in funding from Medicaid (which includes a combination of federal and state funds) for a total of $1.5 billion over three years from federal programs. The abortion fiant receives $1.2 billion from Medicaid, $201 million from the Title X family planning program $40.6 million from Title XX Social Services block grants and $25.9 million from the Title V Maternal and Child health Services block grant.

On average, Planned Parenthood receives approximately $500 million a year in taxpayer funds. The report found that the six organizations spent $481 million in federal funding from Fiscal Years 2010 to 2012.

Congresswoman Diane Black, a Tennessee Republican, was dismayed by the numbers.

“This report confirms what we suspected all along: hard-earned taxpayer dollars continue to be used to promote abortions. The GAO study found that Planned Parenthood Federation of America alone – the nation’s largest abortion provider – spent about $1.5 billion in combined federal and state funding during this reporting period. This is shameful and we have a responsibility to stop it,” she said. “As a nurse for more than 40 years, I know that abortion is not health care. In light of this report, Congress should act swiftly by passing the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, which would help cut off federal funding of organizations like these that promote the destruction of unborn life.”

Representative Black added, “It is a sad irony that this study would be released at a time when Senate Democrats are working against human trafficking and Medicare bills that continue the longstanding Hyde Amendment aimed at prohibiting federal funding of abortions. As the GAO report clearly shows, this amendment alone does not fully prevent the federal funding of abortion providers and promoters.  And let’s not forget, this is information the Obama Administration never wanted us to have. The only reason this report exists is because pro-life Members of Congress specifically demanded it. Greater transparency and accountability is needed to expose how taxpayer dollars are being spent when it comes to abortion. By exposing the facts and shining a light on this egregious misuse of federal dollars, I believe we can successfully mobilize the support needed to defund the big abortion industry once and for all.”

“It shouldn’t take a GAO request from Congress for the American public to know where their tax dollars are being spent. Yet, since I’ve been in Congress, this is the only way we can get answers. That’s why I continue to demand transparency and fight to stop organizations like Planned Parenthood from receiving a single tax dollar. I will continue to do all I can to prevent taxpayers from being forced to support organizations that promote or perform abortions. Greater transparency is critically important and precisely what these groups seek to avoid,” said Congressman Pete Olson.

“The government watchdog (GAO) report issued today found that Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion chain in America, received a whopping $1.5 billion dollars through federal programs over a three year period.  Planned Parenthood—Child Abuse Incorporated—is responsible for killing more than 6 million unborn children, and it is unconscionable that this organization continues to be subsidized by the American taxpayer,” said Congressman Chris Smith.

“Taxpayer funding should in no way support abortions. But when we hand out funding to groups like Planned Parenthood, we know exactly where it’s going – they proudly admit that the majority of their pregnancy-related resources go toward abortions,” said Senator David Vitter. “We can’t let this federal support come at the expense of millions of unborn children.”

Congressman Tim Huelskamp (KS-01): “Sixteen months ago, I joined seventy-one fellow Members of Congress to demand a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into how Planned Parenthood, the largest abortionist in the world, uses our tax dollars.  Last week, GAO finally completed their investigation and confirmed much of what we already knew – massive amounts of taxpayer dollars are being pocketed by a group that is snuffing out the lives of nearly 900 babies every day. Handing over 500 million tax dollars annually to a group of abortionists rife with abuses, including fraudulent Medicaid claims, cover-up of rape and incest, and violations of the Hyde Amendment is not only controversial – it is immoral.”