Marjorie Dannenfelser - President, Susan B. Anthony Pro Life America | Official website

Hundreds of activists are gathering in Washington, D.C., to urge Congress to defund organizations like Planned Parenthood, which they classify as part of the "Big Abortion Industry." These advocates aim to influence members of Congress through personal meetings and discussions, focusing on utilizing the budget reconciliation process to achieve their goals.

Participants in the event include over 300 advocates from 39 states, featuring a substantial number of students. These constituents plan to meet with various congressional representatives and their staff, emphasizing the need to redirect funding away from groups that they argue contribute significantly to abortion services in the U.S.

This initiative follows a strongly-worded letter directed at Congress, signed by over 150 national and state pro-life leaders from across the country. The letter calls for action and seeks to eliminate the allocation of taxpayer funds to what they refer to as the "abortion industry."

In reference to previous efforts, reconciliation bills in both 2015 and 2017 contained measures aimed at stopping federal funding to organizations like Planned Parenthood. Organizers believe that with Republican control of Congress, there is a unique opportunity to achieve their defunding objectives. According to statements from the activists, Planned Parenthood is reported to perform nearly 400,000 abortions annually while receiving approximately $700 million in taxpayer funding.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser commented on the situation, stating: "The evidence is clear – Big Abortion harms women and girls, destroys unborn babies’ lives and is a terrible investment for taxpayers."

The Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America organization, which is coordinating much of this effort, claims a network of over one million pro-life advocates nationwide. Their mission revolves around electing leaders who support their cause and advocating for legislative changes that promote pro-life values, with a focus on elevating pro-life women to leadership positions.