Top Republicans demanded an investigation into Planned Parenthood Tuesday after reports that some of its clinics were granted loans under the coronavirus small business stimulus program.
Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest provider of abortions and has assets and income that put it well over the limits placed on the Paycheck Protection Program, GOP senators said.
Sen. Marco Rubio, chairman of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, said the money must be returned and the administration must investigate whether Planned Parenthood applied for the loans in bad faith.
“There is no ambiguity in the legislation that passed or public record around its passage that organizations such as Planned Parenthood, whose parent organization has close to half a billion dollars in assets, is not eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program,” the Florida Republican said.
Fox News reported that 37 Planned Parenthood affiliates applied for loans, and were awarded a total of $80 million.
Sen. James Lankford, Oklahoma Republican, said Planned Parenthood’s national budget exceeds $1 billion a year, also making it ineligible.
“Every dollar Planned Parenthood took from the Paycheck Protection Program was a dollar that did not get to legitimate small businesses that were eligible,” he said.
