Letter to Ms. Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood - Grassley Makes Inquiries to Attorney General, Planned Parenthood After Video Surfaces in Media Reports
Letter
VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
Ms. Cecile Richards
President
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
434 West 33rd Street
New York, NY 10001
Dear Ms. Richards:
As you are aware, federal funding accounts for about 40% of Planned Parenthood's annual revenue, and in fiscal year 2014, Planned Parenthood and its affiliates had assets of approximately $1.3 billion, according to its most recent annual report. Recently, a video has surfaced in the media in which Planned Parenthood's Senior Director for Medical Services, Deborah Nucatola, discusses at length Planned Parenthood's role in the harvesting of fetal tissue. In the video, she describes, among other things, the fetal organs available for harvesting, the cost per "specimen," and the coordination with abortion providers to modify their procedures in particular cases to preserve particular organs in order to fill particular orders. Additionally, Nucatola allegedly stated that she encourages local affiliates to determine which fetal organs are in most demand and described how abortion providers allegedly alter the method of abortion to keep the desired organs intact.
As you know, 42 U.S.C. § 274e prohibits buying or selling human body parts and 42 U.S.C. § 289g-1 prohibits the use of fetal human tissue for research without the informed consent of the woman having the abortion and prohibits the alteration of abortion methods and procedures solely in order to obtain fetal tissue. Additionally, 42 U.S.C. § 289g-2 prohibits the commercial trafficking of body parts from an aborted fetus, and 18 U.S.C. § 1531 prohibits partial-birth abortions. Accordingly, the Senate Judiciary Committee is initiating an inquiry into Planned Parenthood's role in the procurement of fetal tissue and related activities described in the video.
Please provide the Committee with the following by July 29, 2015:
1. All records relating to Planned Parenthood's provision of fetal tissue as well as all records relating to Planned Parenthood's facilitation or coordination of such provision of fetal tissue by any of its affiliates, including:
a. All presentations, notes, and policies, including manuals on medical practice, as well as descriptions, communications or other records relating to these services.
b. All records relating to Deborah Nucatola and the collection or provision of fetal tissue, including any related presentations, meetings, notes, emails, or other correspondence with abortion providers or with those seeking to acquire fetal organs or tissue.
c. Copies of all instructions, guidance, or communications to abortion providers related to modifying abortion procedures in order to collect particular fetal organs intact.
d. Copies of all physician certifications pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 289g-1(b)(2) in relation to any provision of fetal tissue facilitated or coordinated by Deborah Nucatola.
2. Copies of any and all contracts that each Planned Parenthood affiliate has with companies that procure fetal organs, and the names and contact information of all abortion providers and clinic managers in each Planned Parenthood affiliate.
3. Copies of the memoranda, standard operating procedures, and any other interpretations of the federal Partial Birth Abortion prohibition that are used to instruct abortion providers and clinic managers of all Planned Parenthood affiliates.
4. Copies of the types of consent forms used to obtain consent for such use of fetal tissue from women having abortions.
5. The total amount of revenue generated by Planned Parenthood's provision of fetal tissue.
6. A detailed accounting of the costs incurred by Planned Parenthood's provision of fetal tissue.
If you have any questions about this request, please contact Jason Foster of my Committee staff at (202) 224-5225. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Grassley
Chairman
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
Source