It has been hard to miss the news reports regarding Planned Parenthood and some of their questionable, illegal and immoral practices. While most people across this great state and country are shocked and outraged at the allegations, I am proud to say the Missouri Senate quickly moved to create the Senate Interim Committee on the Sanctity of Life to investigate the practices of this organization in our state.
This committee is chaired by Sen. Kurt Schafer, R-Columbia, and was created in response to a video featuring Planned Parenthood’s top leaders candidly talking about the transfer of fetal tissue to another for-profit group. The video, issued by the Center for Medical Progress, angered thousands of pro-life supporters. I am one of them. The thought of an organization that facilitates the end of a child’s life before it has begun is preposterous to me. Now seeing and hearing that the group may be profiting from the sale of the fetal tissue angers me. That is why I am proud to say that Missouri is one of many states examining the group’s practices in their respective states. While we are being told this is not happening in Missouri, we must guarantee it is not. An investigation is taking place as you read this column.
I can assure you that I am not the only Missouri senator who is outraged that this committee had to be created to investigate matters such as these. I stand with Sen. Schaefer and others in promising to use any means to find the facts to ensure the “disgusting” actions in the tape have not and will not happen in Missouri. The committee will look into whether or not any legislation needs to be written to make sure such acts did not and will never occur in the state.
In the future, we will use this column to examine actions taken by the committee and its report, due by the end of 2015, has determined to be occurring at Planned Parenthood offices in our state.
Mike Cunningham is a Republican member of the Missouri State Senate, representing District 33. Contact him at 573-751-1882 or visit www.senate.mo.gov/cunningham.
“The thought of an organization that facilitates the end of a child’s life before it has begun is preposterous to me. Now seeing and hearing that the group may be profiting from the sale of the fetal tissue angers me.”
–MIKE CUNNINGHAM