Push to de-fund Planned Parenthood

The House Judiciary Committee hearing, titled: "Examining the Horrific Abortion Practices at the Nation's Largest Abortion Provider" is the first of a series of hearings launched to conduct investigations of the controversial practices of Planned Parenthood.

MUNTINLUPA CITY, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - The set of hearings set by House Republicans expressed their efforts against the group's alleged "unethical business" of harvesting and selling aborted fetus organs and tissue, which Planned Parenthood denied, USA Today reported.

The hearing brought about an opportunity to address the broader agenda of reducing abortion cases.

Chairman Bob Goodlatte opened the hearing, addressing Congress to pass legislation barring all abortions after five months of gestation, which would "help ensure that the body parts of late-aborted babies cannot be sold because late-term abortions would be generally prohibited."

The main dispute of the hearing arose when Goodlatte asked Priscilla Smith, a woman who witnessed an abortion procedure at Planned Parenthood, whether she believed that a standard dilation and evacuation abortion is considered humane.

Smith replied that for fetuses, which cannot live outside the womb, it is a humane way to end pregnancy. The Chairman then stated, "Your view of humanity and mine are different."

The House Judiciary Committee hearings were prompted by the release of undercover videos last July showing Planned Parenthood's ongoing negotiations regarding fees charged to research groups for different kinds of tissue from late-term abortions as well as the techniques involved in recovering them.

The Center for Medical Progress released the videos proving that Planned Parenthood is involved in the illegal trade of fetal tissues.

Planned Parenthood has denied all allegations and heavily defended their organization, claiming the videos were edited.

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