WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) reintroduced the Protecting Life and Integrity in Research Act which targets the practice of trafficking infant body parts for profit and ensures taxpayers never have to foot the bill for the endangerment of human life.

“The fact that an organization has profited from the sale of infant body parts is deeply disturbing and absolutely disgraceful. As a member of Congress, it is my responsibility to protect the most vulnerable among us and be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars,” said Congressman Luetkemeyer. “My bill ensures taxpayer funded research will never be used for the horrific practice of trafficking infant body parts for profit and the endangerment of human life.”

Background: 
This bill will prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who authorizes National Institutes of Health research, from conducting or supporting any research involving human fetal tissue that is obtained pursuant to an induced abortion. This prohibition will not prevent research on stillbirth and miscarriage tissue.

The United States has a long history of unethical experiments in the name of medical research involving human test subjects, aborted but still-living ex-utero infants, and more recently aborted fetal body parts commonly referred to as fetal tissue. These practices are highly unethical and quite often paid for with taxpayer funds. Planned Parenthood officials have admittedly changed abortion procedures to procure intact fetal baby parts for sale. These aborted baby parts are then purchased by tissue procurement business and sold “on demand” to researchers, some of which are federally funded. This disturbing business model has allowed abortion providers to profit from federally funded research.

Pro-Life groups supporting the legislation are the Susan B. Anthony List, March for Life Action, Family Research Council, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Eagle Forum, Heritage Action, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.