The Senate Can End Medicaid Funding Of Planned Parenthood

I know firsthand that Planned Parenthood profits at women’s expense. But the organization doesn’t just receive income from desperate women; Planned Parenthood now rakes in nearly $700 million a year from taxpayers. Thankfully, the House just passed a budget measure (President Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill”) with language to stop abortion entities from receiving Medicaid funds. The U.S. Senate now has the opportunity to make this language law.

The offensive amount of federal funds Planned Parenthood receives isn’t used to provide quality health care — even The New York Times was compelled to report on their shockingly poor care nationwide. Instead, Planned Parenthood’s bylaws demand that they spend most of their income on pro-abortion messaging and advocacy, targeted toward young minority women like me. 

Despite their claims that abortions only make up a fraction of their services, when women come to Planned Parenthood seeking pregnancy help, 97 percent of the time they are sold an abortion. Even if they would appreciate prenatal care or adoption help, Planned Parenthood rarely provides any other options. 

My first encounter with Planned Parenthood was when I knew something was wrong with my body but couldn’t communicate what. I may have been pregnant then; they just gave me birth control pills.  

I couldn’t keep the birth control pills down, so I went back. They gave me a pregnancy test and told me I was pregnant. I was afraid to tell my parents about my pregnancy, and I had no money. Planned Parenthood staff told me that because I was poor and lacked support, I would be better off “trying again later.” I still didn’t comprehend them but naively thought I could get help. 

They talked me into making an appointment for an abortion at their Phoenix location, which I didn’t want and ended up canceling.  

Later that week, a lady called me at work to reprimand me for not keeping the appointment. She said she’d reschedule me, but this time I’d better show up. There was some kind of deadline that I couldn’t miss. I didn’t understand, but I thought if I went to the appointment, I could ask the doctor questions and then decide.  

When I arrived at the facility, the staff told me I would have to pay $200 and sign some paperwork before seeing the doctor. They didn’t provide a translator. I signed and paid with the little money I had, hoping to receive more answers. Instead, I was led into a dark back room, instructed to lie on a table, and given an IV.  

My “answer” came in the form of a horrifying vacuum noise and searing, excruciating pain. At that moment, it was like I heard my son or daughter screaming in torment. This unimaginable experience woke me up to what was happening, but it was too late.  

Afterward, the staff sent me home without any explanation or time with the doctor. I bled heavily. Days later, I developed an infection that sent me to the emergency room. 

Planned Parenthood didn’t care that I would spend years of my life tormented and traumatized. I was far enough along that, after the abortion, my body produced milk for the baby I’d never nurse — but they weren’t there to weep with me. They apparently had no scruples over the false hope they gave me about being a mother someday. After the abortion, I was never physically able to have children.  

All they cared about was the paltry $200 I slid across the counter before they ended my child’s life.  

I’ve spoken with many other women who have been pressured by Planned Parenthood. We are part of the large majority of women whose abortions are unwanted, coerced, or out of line with our own preferences or values. Our stories matter; we are living proof Planned Parenthood’s talk about women’s “choice” is deceptive.  

I’ll never get my son or daughter back or have a biological child. For years, I felt ashamed. Yet through my pain and suffering, I’ve been convicted to speak about my experience so we can stop forcing taxpayers to fund abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood. With the help of Republicans in the Senate, this will be the year we finally defund Planned Parenthood.  

Originating from Mexico, Maria Mayela Banks is a Texas resident who ranches with her husband and serves as a voice for Operation Outcry.