(Best Syndication News) Planned Parenthood funding may get cut if Republicans in Congress get their way. Critics of the program say that the organization has taken $500 million in profits over the last nine years.

The Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life entity that has spent over $500,000 to de-fund Planned Parenthood (PP), says it is not worth shutting down the government to save this program.

“It is extraordinary that the President sees federal funding for the nation’s number one abortion provider as more important than paychecks for federal workers and funding for our military,” Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA List said.

Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) said Republicans want to shut down the government over ideological issues and women's health.

Congressman John Boehner (R-Ohio) was evasive on the Planned Parenthood subject earlier today, only saying that the two sides were close. When asked specifically about PP, he said “Almost all of the policy riders have been dealt with”.

“Extremists members of Congress want to shut down the government”, Planned Parenthood said in a statement. “We cannot let this vengeful, narrow-minded assault on Planned Parenthood and the people we serve continue.”

Planned Parenthood performs one in four abortions in the country. Besides abortions, the 820 health centers in all 50 states provide other services to five million clients a year. They provide contraceptives, pregnancy testing, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, tubal ligations, vasectomies, and screening for breast, cervical and testicular cancers.

It is estimated that 26% of their clients are teenagers under the age of 19.

The SBA List says that PP could exist without public funding. It wasn’t until 1970 when Richard Nixon signed the Public Health Service Act (Title X) that provided federal government funding.

There are 700,000 active donors that provide one quarter of the organization’s budget. Donors include the Buffett Foundation, Ford Foundation, Ted Turner Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

By: Marsha Quinn
Health Reporter

Image: Planned parenthood supporters by Wikimedia