Susan B. Anthony List President Announces Launch of Grassroots Campaign Opposing $1.5 Billion in Federal Taxpayer Funds for Abortion Industry

Contact: Joy Yearout, Susan B. Anthony List, 703-875-3370, jyearout@sba-list.org

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today the president of the Susan B. Anthony List announced a nationwide grassroots campaign to fight the abortion industry bailout detailed in the recent report from over 50 abortion-rights organizations submitted to the Obama-Biden transition team last week:

"President-elect Barack Obama spoke of finding 'common ground' on abortion policy, but abortion advocacy groups clearly see an open door," said Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. "After a decade of commonsense restrictions on taxpayer funding, the abortion industry thinks it deserves a bailout from President-Elect Obama. Today the Susan B. Anthony List launched its 'Stop the Abortion Bailout' campaign to mobilize thousands of activists across the country. Americans will send letters to their Senators with the goal of securing the 41 votes necessary to sustain a Senate filibuster of the abortion bailout. We look forward to delivering the votes Senator McConnell needs to ensure our hard-earned taxpayer dollars stay out of abortionists' coffers, especially since national abortion numbers are already on the decline."

Susan B. Anthony List activists can send letters to their Senators as part of the "Stop the Abortion Bailout" campaign at www.sba-list.org/abortionbailout. The goal of the campaign is to secure the 41 votes necessary to sustain a filibuster against measures promoting federal taxpayer funding of abortion. The Susan B. Anthony List will deliver letters to Senators and pass along the names of Americans opposing the abortion bailout to pro-life Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Last week the Obama-Biden Transition Project posted a report compiled by over 50 abortion advocacy groups detailing extensive policy requests. The report, entitled "Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration," was posted on www.change.gov and calls for major policy reversals regarding abortion, including:

• One billion dollars in taxpayer funds for international abortion groups like International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International (p.19)

• 133% increase in funding for the Title X program, which funds Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide (p. 6). Groups call for increasing funds from $300 to $700 million in federal taxpayer funds.

• Repeal every budgetary rider restricting federal abortion funding, including the long-standing Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the use of federal taxpayer funds for abortion through the Medicaid and Medicare programs (p. 7).

• Expand taxpayer funding for abortions through the Peace Corps program. (p. vii)

The President-Elect also recently appointed several abortion advocates to his staff, including EMILY's List Executive Director Ellen Moran as White House Communications Director and former NARAL Legal Director Dawn Johnsen to his Justice Department Review Team. Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards was also named immediately after the election as part of an informal, trusted "kitchen cabinet" of advisors to the Obama transition team.

The Susan B. Anthony List is a nationwide network of Americans, over 152,000 residing in all 50 states, dedicated to mobilizing, advancing, and representing pro-life women in politics. Its connected Candidate Fund increases the percentage of pro-life women in the political process. Team Sarah is a grassroots coalition of diverse women founded to advance Sarah Palin's Vice Presidential candidacy. Its political networking website has grown to 60,000 activists in the last two months.