According to www.thehill.com, Planned Parenthood was a major recipient of Title X funding last year, receiving a quarter of the $317 million appropriated for Title X. Overall, the organization receives millions of dollars in federal, state and local taxpayer funds each year.

But Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization with a huge funding base from individuals, foundations, trusts, and corporations. Does the government need to be giving Planned Parenthood so much money when we have such a huge debt?

Our representatives are taking a hard and responsible step in reducing the debt that Congress has created over the past several decades, especially those offices and entitlements that have been shoved down our throats whether we like it or not. De-funding Planned Parenthood is just one tiny piece of the pie.

Republican representative Mike Pence of Indiana has introduced legislation that would cut all federal funding for Planned Parenthood. As I understand the legislation, Planned Parenthood is not being told what it can or cannot do.

Instead, Planned Parenthood has just been given a pink slip and will have to re-invent itself and reach out to the community for support — which is as it should be.

“Nobody is saying Planned Parenthood can’t be the leading advocate of abortion on demand, but why do I have to pay for it?” Pence has asked.

In the case of Jane Doe v. Planned Parenthood of Central and Northern Ariz. in 2001-02, the court ruled against Planned Parenthood. A 12-year-old girl was being raped and Planned Parenthood knew but did nothing. The girl returned home after one abortion and was impregnated a second time by her foster brother.

This type of incident happens frequently, and Pence has highlighted other real cases of abuse and neglect on Planned Parenthood’s part. The list includes failing to report statutory rape, telling clients to lie about their age, and fraudulent accounting and billing.

Does this really sound like an organization we need to be funding?