Poll: Majority Of US Says Congress Should Keep Funding Planned Parenthood

A majority of Americans said that any spending bill passed by Congress must include funding for Planned Parenthood, according to a survey released Monday by the Pew Research Center.

The survey found that 60 percent said a budget deal must maintain current funding levels for the family planning organization while 32 percent said government funding should be eliminated. Eight percent were undecided.

Responses broke down on predictably partisan lines, with 83 percent of Democrats voicing support for maintaining funding and 66 percent of Republicans calling for its elimination. But Pew researchers said the poll’s overall results indicated that the American public supports Planned Parenthood “by a wide margin.”

Here’s a chart showing the breakdown from Pew:

The group has faced attacks by congressional conservatives since the release of several “sting videos” that purportedly show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards provided testimony about the videos, which she said were “highly edited,” before the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday.

Pew’s poll, which was conducted between Sept. 22-27, surveyed 1,502 adults living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Pew said 525 respondents were interviewed on a landline, while 977 were interviewed via cell phone.