LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Planned Parenthood says the move results from Komen bowing to pressure from anti-abortion activists, while Komen says the key reason is that Planned Parenthood is under investigation in Congress.

The announcement left some people stunned and others elated.

Patrick Hurd is the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia which was the recipient of a 2010 grant from Komen. His wife, Betsi, is currently battling breast cancer. he told the Press, "We're kind of reeling."

"It sounds almost trite, going through this with Betsi, but cancer doesn't care if you're pro-choice, anti-choice, progressive, conservative," Hurd said. "Victims of cancer could care less about people's politics."

Of course, to proponents of the fundamental human right to life, this is anything but trite and involves much more than "politics". If the child in the womb is indeed a human person, with a fundamental right to life, that is about much more than "politics". 

Komen grants to Planned Parenthood totaled roughly $680,000 last year and $580,000 the year before, going to at least 19 of its affiliates. The Planned Parenthood claim is that the money goes for breast-cancer screening and other breast-health services.

However, money is fungible. Every dollar which Planned Parenthood receives through a grant in one area frees up funds for it to engage in abortion services. Such claims of using money only for morally acceptable, even commendable services, have long been used by Planned Parenthood to justify much of its funding. 

Komen spokeswoman Leslie Aun says the cutoff reflects the organizations newly adopted criteria barring grants to organizations that are under investigation by local, state or federal authorities. Under these guidelines, this currently applies to Planned Parenthood as it's the focus of an inquiry launched by Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., who is seeking to determine whether public money was improperly spent on abortions.

President of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Cecile Richards has described Stearns' probe as politically motivated. She expressed her dismay that it had contributed to Komen's decision to halt the grants to PPFA affiliates.

"It's hard to understand how an organization with whom we share a mission of saving women's lives could have bowed to this kind of bullying," Richards told The Associated Press. "It's really hurtful."

The news has generated a firestorm of public opinion. On Twitter, it was one of the most discussed topics, with some tweets praising Komen's decision and others angrily vowing never to give to it again.

Supporters of the Right to Life have welcomed the news. The Alliance Defense Fund praised Komen "for seeing the contradiction between its lifesaving work and its relationship with an abortionist that has ended millions of lives."

A statement issued by Komen made no reference to the reactions, instead citing its new grant-making criteria and pledging to ensure there were no gaps in service to women.

"While it is regrettable when changes in priorities and policies affect any of our grantees, such as a long-standing partner like Planned Parenthood, we must continue to evolve to best meet the needs of the women we serve and most fully advance our mission," the statement said.

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