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Democrats Block Bill to Stop Zika Virus Because It Doesn’t Fund Planned Parenthood

U.S. Senate Democrats continue to block aid funding to combat the Zika virus this week because the bill does not include taxpayer dollars for Planned Parenthood.

The Washington Examiner reports Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid vowed to continue their silent filibuster against the bill because of a minor provision that blocks funding to a few, non-essential Planned Parenthood facilities in Puerto Rico.

Because of a link between the Zika virus and birth defects, abortion advocates have been using Zika as an excuse to push for more abortions on babies with disabilities. Several countries affected by the virus have seen an alarming uptick in the number of babies born with microcephaly, a brain disorder that is not typically fatal but can cause health problems throughout the child’s life.

The countries most affected by the virus are suggesting that women avoid getting pregnant while health officials work to stop the virus from spreading. Meanwhile, some pro-abortion groups have been scaring women into aborting their unborn babies without knowing if they have Zika or if their unborn baby has a disability.

In the U.S., Democrats have been calling for immediate aid to combat the virus for months; but in May, they shifted positions and began blocking the $1.1 billion aid bill because it does not include funding for a few Planned Parenthood facilities in Puerto Rico.

Now, pro-abortion groups and their Democratic allies are spinning the situation to blame Republicans for blocking the aid. On Wednesday, Reid sent out this condemning tweet:

Republicans are choosing a seven-week paid vacation over protecting American women from Zika.

— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) July 13, 2016

But the move could backfire. Fact checkers, legislators, news outlets and others are calling out the Democrats for making false claims about the aid bill. In a new editorial, the Washington Examiner chided the pro-abortion Democrats and urged them to reexamine their priorities: The legislation agreed to as a compromise between the House and Senate cuts out the Puerto Rico arm of Planned Parenthood. The organization, which performs abortions on an industrial scale, funds Democratic political campaigns. And it takes the view, as any self-interested business might be expected to do, that no aid package is acceptable unless it contains additional money for itself.

We don’t generally think much of the fact-checking website Politifact, which has its own left-liberal biases, but it has essentially debunked Democrats’ claims that this provision makes the aid package less effective. The website notes that there are only seven Profamilias (Planned Parenthood) clinics in Puerto Rico, and that there is not a single municipality where it is the only organization with a clinic to serve the community. In an op-ed at the Palm Beach Post, U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Florida, pointed out that there are many places in Puerto Rico where women and their families can receive medical help. He said there are 20 health centers and 84 service sites, compared to just a handful of Planned Parenthoods.

A few weeks ago, U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, also blamed Democrats for blocking the measure because of their pro-abortion politics. “The exact same amount that Democrats unanimously supported six weeks ago and now Democrats don’t want to support it,” Thune said before Senate Democrats succeeded in blocking the bill at the end of June. “A handful of Planned Parenthood clinics in Puerto Rico,” Thune continued. “Seriously. This is what this is about?” The Hill also pointed out how the pro-abortion Democrats contradicted themselves on the issue: “… the stance puts Democrats in the position of now opposing a Zika funding bill after months of telling Republicans funding was needed right away.”

According to The Hill, Democrats also opposed the aid bill because the money comes from cuts to Ebola prevention and Obamacare, and because it loosened rules about spraying pesticides. CLICK LIKE IF YOU’RE PRO-LIFE!

In June, the Centers for Disease Control reported the first cases of babies with disabilities in the U.S. after their mothers contracted Zika. Three babies were born, while three others were aborted or miscarried, according to the CDC.

At least one U.S. mom has said yes to having her baby, despite being infected with Zika, LifeNews reported in May. Connecticut teen Sara Mujica believes her unborn baby’s life is a miracle.

Families who have experiences with microcephaly also are countering abortion activists’ fear mongering, saying that women should be offered education about the condition and support – not abortion.

The fact that abortion activists believe people with disabilities like microcephaly should be targeted for abortion also is concerning to many disability rights advocates, even some who support abortion.

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