Forty-three Planned Parenthood affiliates wrongly received federal loan dollars earmarked to keep small businesses from sinking during the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite being ineligible for the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, the nation’s largest abortion provider — which employs more than 16,000 people across the country — received $150 million from the government, according to documents released Monday.
Each Planned Parenthood affiliate received somewhere between $150,000, with 16 locations receiving between $1 to $2 million, three clinics receiving $5 to $10 million, and eight clinics receiving $350,000 to $1 million, Life Site News reported.
It was first revealed in late May that Planned Parenthood had received at least $80 million in PPP money.
Other pro-abortion groups — including the National Network of Abortion Funds, the National Abortion Federation, and the NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation — received PPP funding, too.
In order to be eligible for the federal financial assistance, companies had to employ fewer than 500 people.
“It has come to our attention that affiliates of Planned Parenthood improperly applied for, and received, loans through the program,” read a letter from the SBA. “While we appreciate the Small Business Administration’s efforts to promptly cancel those loans, the circumstances under which they were made merit further investigation of possible wrongdoing.”
Lawmakers have expressed concerns over how Planned Parenthood was able to successfully apply for the funding, according to the Family Research Council.
“It’s a black and white issue,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said in June, when he pressed SBA chief Jovita Carranza on the matter. Carranza refused to offer details about how the SBA planned to hold Planned Parenthood accountable. “How are we going to conduct oversight?” the senator asked.
Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) said it’s “sick” Planned Parenthood received the taxpayer dollars.
“It is disheartening,” Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) told FRC. “It is outrageous. … There is no argument whatsoever that has any substance to it that these are independent entities.”
The abortion provider is defending receiving the cash.
“Just like other nonprofits and health care providers, this pandemic has had a significant impact on Planned Parenthood health centers’ ability to provide care,” said Jacqueline Ayers, vice president of government affairs and public policy for Planned Parenthood. “Paycheck Protection Program loans have ensured health centers can retain staff and continue to provide patients with essential, time-sensitive sexual and reproduction especially health care during this crisis.”
“Reproductive health care” refers, of course, to abortion.