New Planned Parenthood Video Surfaces: Smear Campaign? Senate Will Vote on Federal Funding

Planned Parenthood, the national organization of clinics which provides screening, contraception and abortion services nationwide has come under fire in recent weeks after videos released online have shed a light on the organization's policy of supplying tissues from aborted fetuses for medical research.

The latest of three graphic videos released online so far by The Center for Medical Progress (CMP), an anti-abortion group which opposes Planned Parenthood, claims to show how the organization participates in the "real-life harvesting and selling of baby body parts" in what CMP has called "Planned Parenthood's black market in baby parts".

The Center for Medical Progress is an anti-abortion political organization founded in 2013 by David Daleiden, who previously worked for the pro-life, non-profit organization Live Action, The New York Times reported earlier this week.

The group has close ties to anti-abortion organization Operation Rescue and set up a fake biomedical research company called Biomax Procurement services to create the sting videos against Planned Parenthood, which were later shared online.

In the videos, an actor posing as a potential buyer of tissue for research talks to a doctor from a Planned Parenthood clinic about pricing and which methods can be used to best preserve the organs during the abortion procedure.

The Center for Medical Progress made a statement defending its tactics, saying it follows "all applicable laws" during the course of what it calls "investigative journalism." For its part, Planned Parenthood claims it does not profit from tissue donation, which is only made under clear consent from the patient involved. It also says it only accepts enough money to cover costs associated with collecting and transporting tissue, Associated Press reports.

Regardless, the outcry that has resulted from the release of the graphic videos online is prompting legislators to act in response to the situation. Republican Senator Rand Paul has introduced legislation that would prohibit any federal funds to go towards Planned Parenthood, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he is planning a vote on the issue before the Senate's upcoming five-week recess, Reuters reports. Planned Parenthood currently receives about $500 million annually in federal funding.