The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops joined the effort to stop Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding.
The group's marriage and pro-life committees wrote a letter to House and Senate lawmakers Thursday, the same day anti-abortion groups gathered in the nation's capital for a lobbying effort that targets federal Medicaid funding for the abortion provider, Catholic News Agency reported Monday.
The letter also stated that taxpayer dollars should not be spent on transgender procedures that "gravely violate human dignity."
"Whereas we and brother bishops wrote in January on multiple matters connected to budget reconciliation that affect the poor and vulnerable, today we write in particular to affirm our support for stopping taxpayer funding of the abortion and 'gender transition' industries," the letter, signed by Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, and Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, the chairs of the group's marriage and pro-life committees, respectively.
Barron and Thomas cited the bipartisan Hyde Amendment, passed in 1976 and amended several times, which prohibits federal funding for abortions except in cases of rape or incest, or if the mother's life is in danger.
"Yet, Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the U.S. at over 390,000 preborn children killed per year [about 40% of the total], still receives nearly $700 million annually – about a third of its revenue – from taxpayers," the bishops wrote.
Barron and Thomas wrote that the "promotion of gender ideology to children" has been another "area of increased activity on the part of Planned Parenthood."
"The off-label use of hormones and puberty blockers has proven to be a lucrative billion-dollar business in an ever-growing market," they wrote. "Planned Parenthood offers 'gender transition' services at nearly 450 clinics across the nation, surpassing the number of its locations that perform abortions."
The bishops noted that Planned Parenthood regional handbook said that "most of our patients can get a hormone prescription at the end of their first visit with us."
The bishops' letter came two days after it was reported the Trump administration is pausing millions in federal funding for Planned Parenthood, essentially defunding the abortion giant while it reviews whether any of the money was spent on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Planned Parenthood and its affiliates were set to receive approximately $120 million this year, with the money earmarked for pregnancy testing, evaluation, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and infertility counseling, The Wall Street Journal reported March 25.
Newsmax reached out to Planned Parenthood for comment.
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