In a significant escalation, 128 Republican lawmakers have formally requested that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General launch a comprehensive investigation into Planned Parenthood’s use of taxpayer funds, citing a broad range of serious allegations including potential fraud, waste, abuse, and violations of federal laws. Spearheaded by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), the bicameral push aims to scrutinize all federal funding streams, grants, contracts, and sub-awards flowing to Planned Parenthood and its affiliates, demanding a thorough review for any misconduct that could warrant administrative penalties, suspension, or exclusion from federal healthcare programs. This concerted effort by nearly half of the GOP caucus in Congress comes amidst a separate Small Business Administration review of $88 million in COVID-era Paycheck Protection Program loans received by 38 Planned Parenthood affiliates, which the lawmakers characterized as an investigation into potentially illegal loan acquisition, underscoring their demand for a wider examination of the organization’s compliance with federal standards, including past allegations related to fetal tissue, sexual exploitation, and failures in reporting suspected child abuse. The lawmakers emphasized the critical need for transparency and integrity in organizations receiving substantial taxpayer resources, urging the HHS Inspector General to follow the facts and hold accountable any entities found to have misused federal funds.
Adapted from: Latest Political News on Fox News
