Komen foundation reverses decision to cut Planned Parenthood funding
Feb 3, 2012, 8:33 AM | Updated: 9:31 am
The Susan G. Komen Foundation has reversed its decision to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, saying the move was not done for political reasons or to penalize the organization.
The controversy began Wednesday after Komen officials announced it would no longer fund the roughly $680,000 in grants to 19 Planned Parenthood affiliates for breast-cancer screening and other breast-health services. According to Planned Parenthood, its health centers performed more than 4 million breast exams over the past five years, including nearly 170,000 as a result of Komen grants.
Komen officials vehemently deny abortion rights played a role in cutting new grants to Planned Parenthood.
“Our original desire was to fulfill our fiduciary duty to our donors by not funding grant applications made by organizations under investigation,” said charity’s founder and CEO Nancy Brinker in a press release.
She says they will change the criteria to make it clear politics plays no role in the grant process.
“We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities.”
Planned Parenthood has already received over $600,000 in donations since Komen’s original decision, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has pledged $250,000 of his own money to Planned Parenthood. That far surpasses the grant amount provided by Komen annually.
Senator Patty Murray’s statement about the reversal:
“This is a huge win for women in communities across the country who will now be able to get the breast cancer screenings they count on through Planned Parenthood. And this is a major victory for the men and women across America who made their voices heard over the last few days to express their shock and dismay at Komen’s initial decision. Politics should never come between women and their health care, and I am very glad that Komen did the right thing and reversed their misguided and deeply damaging decision.
97.3 KIRO FM’s Josh Kerns contributed to this report.
